Parsons Takes 13-shot Lead Into Final Round Of B.C. Women’s Amateur Championship
Delta's Mary Parsons Will Take A Commanding 13-shot Lead Into Friday's Final Round Of The 2018 B.C. Women's Amateur Presented By Maui Jim At Golden Golf Club - Image Credit Jurgen Kaminski (JKam Photos)/BC Golf
By Brad Ziemer, British Columbia Golf
Thirteen is not everyone’s lucky number, but Mary Parsons is feeling okay with it. Parsons shot her first over-par round of the week Thursday, but her lead at the B.C. Women’s Amateur Presented by Maui Jim Championship increased to a baker’s dozen at Golden Golf Club.
The 19-year-old Delta resident shot a two-over par 74 and stands at two-under 214 through three rounds. Christina Proteau of Port Alberni and Hannah Lee of Surrey are tied for second at 11-over. Proteau shot a 74 Thursday, while Lee recorded the day’s best round, an even-par 72.
Parsons can’t recall having a lead anything like this in any tournament of significance she has played in. She hopes not to think too much about that big cushion she enjoys and hopes to just play her game in Friday’s final round.
“This is certainly the biggest lead I have had going into a final round,” she said. “I will just try and trust my game, play aggressive and pretend like there is someone closer to me.”
Parsons had four bogeys and two birdies in her round Thursday. Her birdies came on the two par 5s on Golden’s back nine -- No.s 12 and 18 -- which are the same holes she eagled in Wednesday’s second round. “I wasn’t hitting it as close today so I didn’t have as many birdie opportunities as the first two days,” she said. “I came close to reaching 18 in two, but I still had a chip and I left myself about an eight-foot putt for birdie. And on 12 I had about a 20-yard pitch and had another eight-footer for my birdie there.”
The biggest margin of victory in recent memory at a B.C. Women’s Amateur came in 2010 when Christine Wong of Richmond beat the field by 11 shots at Arbutus Ridge Golf Club. Parsons, who finished second at the 2016 B.C. Women’s Amateur at Beach Grove Golf Club in Tsawwassen, may well surpass that mark on Friday.
“I think that for the most part I have my game plan figured out, but there are definitely some spots on the course that can force you to make adjustments,” Parsons said. “I think the course set-up has been fair for the most part. Some of the pins can be tricky and the greens can pick up pace.” Parsons, the 2016 B.C. Junior Girls champion, recently completed her freshman year at the University of Indiana and posted the team’s best stroke average.
Kathrine Chan of Richmond is alone in fourth place at 12-over after shooting a 77 on Thursday. The top two finishers after Friday’s final round will join Victoria’s Naomi Ko on the team that will represent B.C. at the Canadian Women’s Amateur Championship, which goes July 24-27 at Marine Drive Golf Club in Vancouver.
Ko, a member of Canada’s National Amateur Team, was given an exemption onto the B.C. Team. She competed this week in the North & South Women’s Amateur in Pinehurst, N.C., where she reached the Round of 32.
Click HERE for complete scoring from the B.C. Women's Amateur Presented by Maui Jim Championship.