Vancouver's 14-Year Old Tiffany Kong Qualifies For CP Women's Open
Tiffany Kong (2nd from L) Is Shown Here After Winning The MJT Odlum Brown Classic-PGA of BC Junior Championship Title At Northview Recently - Image Courtesy MJT (Maple Leaf Junior Golf Tour)
compiled by BC Golf editors
Tiffany Kong carded an even-par 72 at Pitt Meadows Golf Club during the Monday qualifier for this week's CP Canadian Women's Open.
The 14-year-old Vancouver resident who had just played her way into the LPGA event being held at the Vancouver Golf Club was overjoyed, “I am so excited right now,” Kong said. “I can’t believe I just made that putt and made those shots. Today was a fantastic day for me.”
Forty-three women teed it up vying for four spots into the CP Women’s Open.
Australian Stacey Keating clinched a spot with a two-under 70, as did Kristen Park of California, who shot 71. Three players -- Kong, Calgary’s Nicole Zhang and Louise Stahle of Sweden -- were tied at 72 and had to playoff for the final two spots.
Kong and Stahle both advanced after the first extra hole when Zhang three-putted for bogey. After Zhang missed her par putt and tapped in for bogey, all Kong had to do was make her three-footer for par to earn he place in the field.
“Suddenly that putt felt so much longer than three feet,” she said. “This is going to be a huge event for me. I am definitely going to try and enjoy it. I’ll be gaining some great experience playing with LPGA Tour players. I am so excited.”
Kong just returned from Fort McMurray, where she was part of B.C.’s winning team at the Western Canada Summer Games and earlier this summer she tied for sixth at the Canadian Junior Girls Championship and placed fourth at the B.C. Junior Girls tourney.
She isn't a complete stranger to the course at Vancouver Golf Club. “I have played a couple of tournaments there, but nothing like this,” she said. “It is a great course. I didn’t dream of something like this happening so soon.”
Kong says she'll play a practice round on Tuesday to try and familiarize herself with the course again and soak in the surroundings. “I hope I can play well,” she said. But most of all I want to have fun.”