The PKBGT is back in action January 13 – 15, 2018 for the inaugural Linville Cup Team Challenge and Leadership Retreat at Mid Pines Inn and Golf Club. The Linville Cup is designed to reward and enrich the lives of the top finishers of the 2017 Peggy Kirk Bell Girls’ Golf Tour with a weekend of team golf and leadership seminars. Building on our motto of “more than a golf tournament”, this special weekend will bring together players who have excelled in the past year to Pinehurst, the home of American golf and at Pine Needles/Mid Pines GC, the home of our tour namesake.
The Linville Cup will feature multiple opportunities for players to interact with the coaches and staff. Mentorship is a big component of this event and we hope the players will take away many life lessons, confidence and friendships to build their golfing careers on.
Our coaches are ex-collegiate golfers as well as women business leaders who will share their experiences with the girls. This event will provide a unique experience for players to compete and develop in a team environment.
About the Coaches
Team North Carolina East
Julie Shore – Julie has been involved with golf for more than 40 years, playing, volunteering, mentoring, and coaching young golfers. She retired in 2013 after a nearly 37-year career with IBM and coached youth golf programs for two years with TGA (Teach, Grow, Achieve) of Wake County. She serves on the NC Golf Panel and on the board of the EWGA Raleigh Triangle chapter, plays golf several times a week, and competes regularly.
Katherine Perry – Katherine is a 9-Time PKBGT Champion. She attended UNC-Chapel Hill an played college golf for the Tar Heels from 2010-2014. After 2 years on the Symetra Tour, she is now playing on the LPGA Tour and serves as an ambassador of the PKBGT. Katherine hails from Cary, NC.
Team North Carolina West
Shonda Jones – Shonda was born and raised in Dallas, TX. She currently serves as the Associate Dean of Admissions and Student Services and is a Professor in Intercultural Theological Education at Wake Forest University. Shonda also serves on the Board of Directors at the Executive Women’s Golf Association (EWGA) and has played an essential role in making EWGA’s Grads to Golf program a success.
Allison Emrey – Allison is a 3-time PKBGT Champion. She attended Wake Forest University and played college golf for the Demon Deacons from 2011-2015. After 2 seasons on the Symetra Tour, Allison will be a Rookie on the LPGA in 2018. She currently serves as an ambassador for the PKBGT and hails from Charlotte, NC.
Team Middle Atlantic
Bonnie McGowan – Bonnie is the oldest daughter of Peggy Kirk Bell and a former member of the UNC Chapel Hill women’s golf team. She worked side by side with her mother instructing golf at Pine Needles, where she and her husband Pat McGowan (former PGA Tour player) continue to carry on Peggy’s legacy of women’s Golfari’s that Peggy created in the 1960’s. She has two children- Michael who also played golf at UNC and is currently playing the PGA Latin American Tour and is a member of the Web.com tour- and a daughter Scotti, who played golf at Sandhills Community College and is a PKBGT alumna.
Katie Kirk – Katie is a 3-time PKBGT Champion. She attended East Carolina University and played collegiately for the pirates from 2011-2015. During her time at ECU, Katie was selected by the LPGA Foundation as the recipient of the 2015 Dinah Shore Trophy. In addition, she holds the PKBGT Invitational scoring record from her 2011 PKBGT Invitational title with a 2 day total of 5 under (66-71).
Team Southeast
Kristen Rooke – Kristen is in her 8th year of coaching the Boy’s Varsity Golf team at Christ Church Episcopal school in Greenville, SC. In addition to coaching, she is a board member of the First Tee of the Upstate and the WSCGA Junior Golf Foundation. Kristen lives in Greenville, enjoys traveling and playing golf with her husband and friends.
Allyson Markiewicz – Allyson is a former PKBGT Champion. She graduated in 2017 from Wofford College with a degree in Business Economics. During her time at Wofford, Allyson played golf for the Terriers and was very involved with junior programs at Spartanburg CC. Originally from Charlotte, NC, Allyson now works for Wells Fargo as a Digital Marketing Analyst.
Each team consists of 10 players who excelled on the PKBGT in 2017; and therefore, have been chosen to represent their region at the inaugural Linville Cup.
Event Namesake
The Linville Cup is named for PKBGT Tour Founder Robert Linville. Robert is the owner/founder of Robert Linville’s Precision Golf School and co-founder of the PKBGT’s parent foundation, the Triad Youth Golf Foundation. A PGA member for over 30 years, Robert has a passion for developing players and has taught some of the top players to come out of North Carolina in last 20 years, including current LPGA Tour rookie & PKBGT Alumnus Katherine Perry. Robert’s passion and energy for developing equity for girls in golf is why the PKBGT has grown to where it is today.
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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