It couldn’t have been a more ideal day for a major final round at Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club today. The course was in great shape all week and the players enjoyed it there very much. A special thanks to our tournament sponsors Srixon, Cleveland Golf, and XXIO for making our major tournament a success. The day was made even more special thanks to an appearance by Miss Peggy Kirk Bell herself, who came to the course to watch the final groups finish their rounds and to help us congratulate all of our winners. The girls enjoyed meeting the legendary Miss Bell and even took a picture or two with her. What an inspiration!
Both Emily Hawkins, (Lexington, NC 2018) the Prep Series Champion, and Amanda Sambach, (Davidson, NC 2021) the Futures Series Champion, where able to maintain their leads from round one and seal their victories. Hawkins finished at an even par 213 for the tournament, shooting rounds of 69-71-73 to win by three strokes over the runner-up Siranon Shoomee (Sanford, NC 2016). Shoomee, an East Carolina University committee, shot 73-70-73 for a 216 total. Finishing third was Haeley Wotnosky, (Chapel Hill, 2018) who shot a personal best six over par for the 54 hole event with rounds of 73-74-72 for a 219 total. Tying for fourth place at ten over par were Keri Kenkel (Charlotte, NC 2017) and Jacinta Pikunas (Youngstown, OH 2017). In sixth place by one stroke out of fourth at 11 over was Elizabeth Nguyen, (Pinehurst, NC 2017) who shot a two-under 69 today to place in the top ten.
In the Futures Series, Sambach shot three solid rounds of 72-71-69, finishing the tournament at a 1-under par 212. Carley Rudolf, (Virginia Beach, VA 2019) in second place by six strokes, shot rounds of 76-72-70 for a 218 total. In third place was Sophie Holland (Cornelius, NC 2020) who shot rounds of 77-73-72 for a 222 total. Not far behind in fourth place was Muskan Uppal, (Cornelius, NC 2019) who played solidly all week shooting rounds of 76-73-74 for a 223 total. In sole fifth place by one stroke was Riley Hamilton (Reidsville, NC 2020) who shot a 224 total. In six place was Alexis Sudjianto (Charlotte, NC 2019) who shot a 13-over par 226. Congratulations to all of our top-six finishers!
Both Hawkins and Sambach were the Prep and Futures Series Order of Merit Champions for 2015 and will add their names to the same trophy shared by Siranon Shoomee, Symetra Tour player Kat Floyd, 2015 Women’s Amateur qualifier Moon Cheong, and the Spicer twins Sarah and Jessica, who have both committed to play for Virginia Tech in the fall.
The Srixon Tour Championship marks the end of the regular 2015 season. The “next” PKB tournament is the PKBGT NEXT event at Duke University’s Washington Duke Inn and Country Club. The tournament will be comprised of divisions made by a player’s graduation year and will take place on September 5-7th.
The Peggy Kirk Bell Girls’ Golf Tour is an initiative of the Triad Youth Golf Foundation, a 501(c)3 non-profit foundation aimed at increasing learning and playing opportunities for youth golfers. Based out of Greensboro, North Carolina, the PKBGT offers affordable, high-quality nationally ranked girls’ golf tournaments designed to prepare junior girls’ golfers for high school and collegiate golf. The PKBGT is the nation’s largest “girls’ only” junior tour with over 375 members in 2013 and 262 girls playing in or committed to collegiate golf. Learn more about the tour at pkbgt.org or by contacting Tour Director Mike Parker at mparker@pkbgt.org or 336-347-8537.
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