Recap: Hough, Cox claim 1st titles at Clemson

On Sunday, March 3, the 2013 Peggy Kirk Bell Girls’ Golf Tour played the SC University Classic at the Walker Course @ Clemson University.  Following a snowed out 1st round on Saturday, the Walker Course, home of the Clemson University Tigers golf teams, featured a field of 54 players from the PKB Girls’ Golf Tour, the nation’s largest “girls’ only” junior tour.

In the Bell Division, Anne Taylor Hough (Spartanburg, SC 2015) set the pace, carding a 1-over par 73 early in the day to take the lead.  Anne Taylor got out to a hot start with a 1-under par 35 on the front nine and finished with 3 birdies and 4 bogeys.  Ms. Hough had to wait it out till the final group where finalist Payton Culler (Hendersonville, NC 2014) carded a 38-37-75 to finish two shots back.  Emily Cox (Lancaster, SC 2017) and Jacqueline Twitty (Chapin, SC 2016) finished tied with 3rd at 77.  Sarina Sonoda (Florence, SC 2016) and Anna Redding (Concord, NC 2015) carded 78’s to tie for 5th.

In the Futures Division, the day was highlighted by an exciting, close event and some career best performances!  Carley Cox (China Grove, NC 2015) claimed her first PKBGT title, carding three birdies on the way to a 6-over par 78.  Starting on Hole #10, Carley and Callista Rice (Mars Hill, NC 2017) were neck and neck thru 11 holes.  Carley created some separation with back to back birdies on holes 4 & 5.  This ended up being the difference with Cox winning by 2 shots and Rice finishing with an 80.  Maria Cassas (Cary, NC 2015) earned her first Top-5, finishing 3rd with an 82.  Madison Branum (Lexington, SC 2018) and Morgan Laird (Waxhaw, NC 2015) finished 4th and 5th with a 84 and 85 respectively.

PKBGT returns next weekend on Saturday-Sunday, March 9-10 with the NC University Classic @ UNC Finley Golf Club in Chapel Hill, NC. This is the largest classic tournament of the 2013 season, bringing together players from Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and even Ontario, Canada.

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 low cost, nationally ranked girls’ golf tournaments designed to prepare junior girls’ golfers for high school and 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.