The PKBGT returns to action on December 28-29 with the PKB Junior presented by the Peggy Kirk Bell Foundation. The popular event will take place at Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club and will feature players from the Bell and Futures Series. We hope that the warm temperatures that we’ve been enjoying this December in North Carolina will stick around for our tournament!
Pine Needles Lodge and Golf Club, the host of the Peggy Kirk Bell Junior, was also host to the US Women’s Open in 1996, 2001, and 2007. The strong history of women’s golf at Pine Needles combined with a championship-level course make it the ideal location for the further development of the game and the unofficial home of the PKB Girls’ Golf Tour. 68 players of the PKB Girls’ Golf Tour, the largest “girls-only” junior golf tour in the country, will tackle the classic Donald Ross course at 5,745 yards in the Bell Series and 5,004 yards in the Futures Series.
The Bell Series features a strong field of 31 players from 11 different states. Rebecca DiNunzio (Norfolk, VA 2019) is ranked 36th on the Bell Series Order of Merit for the 2015 season. She also placed ninth in the Srixon Tour Championship this summer which was also held at Pine Needles. Another player featured in the Bell Series is Kendall Dobbins (Summerfield, NC 2016). At the end of the 2015 she was ranked 16th on the Bell Series Order of Merit. She also finished in a tie for third place at the CGA’s Jimmy Anderson Junior Girls’ in November. Also in the Bell Series this week is Jodee Tindal (Rock Hill, SC 2017). In May, she won the Metrolina Classic at Rock Hill CC and has committed to play for the Mercer University women’s golf team when she graduates in 2017.
Playing in the Futures Series is Nicole Adam, (Pinehurst, NC 2020) Riley Hamilton, (Reidsville, NC 2020) and Melissa Meng (Blacksburg, VA 2020). Adam won the PKBGT Invitational Qualifier at Forest Oaks CC in November and was the runner-up in the Futures Series at the Tournament of Champions. Riley Hamilton also found success on the links this year. She ended the 2015 ranked in the 12 spot on the Futures Series Order of Merit and finished inside the top-five in three tournaments, one being the PKBGT Tour Championship at Pine Needles. Melissa Meng was ranked 27th on the Futures Series Order of Merit for 2015 and she also finished in second place in the 2020 Grad Year Division at the PKBGT NEXT event in September at Duke University’s home course.
The PKB Junior will take place on Monday and Tuesday the 28-29 of December with 10:00am shotgun starts on both days. As always, we look forward to a great event!
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.
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