Victoria’s Ko Goes Low To Grab First-Round Lead At B.C. Women’s Amateur Championship
Royal Colwood's Naomi Ko Is In The Lead After Round One Of The 2017 BC Women's Amateur Following A First Round 69 At Vernon G&CC - Image Credit Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)/ BC Golf
By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf
Victoria’s Naomi Ko birdied five of her first 11 holes en route to a four-under 69 Tuesday that gave her the lead after the first round of the B.C. Women’s Amateur Championship at Vernon Golf & Country Club.
Ko, who just completed her sophomore year at North Carolina State University, leads Maddie Szeryk of Allan, Tex., by one shot. Both players are members of Canada’s national women’s team.
“I holed out from the sand for my only birdie on the back nine on No. 11,” Ko said. “On the front nine I was making a lot of putts and I was able to give myself that opportunity by putting some of my approach shots pretty close to the hole.”
Ko, who won the 2016 Canadian Junior Girls Championship, is a member at Royal Colwood Golf Club in Victoria. She hadn’t seen Vernon Golf Club until her practice rounds earlier this week and quickly learned that the greens are a considerable challenge.
“You definitely have to think about where you want to position yourself on the greens,” she said. “There are some holes where you can go for it and make some birdies, but there are some where walking away with par is just fine.”
Szeryk, a dual-citizen who is Canada’s top-ranked amateur, also had five birdies in her round on Tuesday. The 20-year-old is coming off a record-setting junior season at Texas A&M University. Her 71.24 stroke average and 128 birdies were both school records. Earlier this month, Szeryk won the Women’s Western Amateur Championship near Chicago.
Ko and Szeryk are two of four national team members playing this week in Vernon. Calgary’s Jaclyn Lee opened with a one-under 72 and shares third place with 2015 B.C. Women’s Amateur champion Michelle Kim of Surrey. Grace St-Germain of Ottawa, the fourth national team member, opened with a five-over 78 and is tied for ninth heading into today’s second round of the 72-hole event.
Kat Kennedy of Okotoks, Alta., sits alone in fifth place after shooting a one-over 74 on Tuesday. Kennedy just concluded her collegiate golf career at the University of B.C. She recently defended her title at the Canadian University/College Championships.
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CHIP SHOTS: Three-time champion Christina Proteau of Port Alberni opened with a six-over 79. So did national development team member Mary Parsons of Delta, who finished second at last year’s B.C. Women’s Amateur at Beach Grove Golf Club in Tsawwassen.