On Saturday-Sunday, May 4-5, the Peggy Kirk Bell Girls’ Golf Tour played the 2019 PKBGT Imperial Girls Classic, presented by Imperial Headwear, at Columbia Country Club in Blythewood, SC.
Through a mix of clouds and sun, the competitors from the Peggy Kirk Bell Girls’ Golf Tour piled into the parking lot at Columbia Country Club. Returning to South Carolina for the first time in over a month, the National Series set Blythewood as home base for the weekend.
Those who were partaking in their first PKB event of the season were welcomed at the check-in table with the same membership gifts that the rest of the field returning to the tour received earlier in the season.
While there were hopes and wishes that the dark violet umbrellas would only be necessary to block out the sun, an additional level of excitement resonated through the air when handed their new PKB hat.
Not only were they matching with their fellow competitors (and friends), they were sporting the official headwear of the tour and the presenting partner of this weekend’s event: Imperial Headwear.
Amidst the first year of their partnership with the tour, the inaugural PKBGT Imperial Girls Classic (formerly the Southeast Classic) compiled 34 of the top talent from the Southeast region for a weekend in the Palmetto state.
Girls are competing in one of two divisions: Bell National at 5,867 yards and Futures National at 5,028 yards.
The first day of competition was cut short, due to severe weather conditions and impending darkness. The Bell National field, with all competitors through the front nine, would suspend play and complete the end of their first round prior to the start of the second round. The Futures National field would abandon their first round, with a champion determined in one winner-take-all final round on Sunday.
Bell National
Taking home the trophy in the 15 player Bell National field after the first round was Lauren Martin (Mooresville, NC 2020). Lauren shot a two-day total score of 74, 70 = 144 (+2) and took the title by 2 strokes over the next closest competitor. Her best performance of the afternoon was starting with 2 birdies on the first 2 holes of round 2!
There was a two way tie for 2nd place. Just behind Martin, finishing the tournament as runner-up was Abigayle Hatcher (Roebuck, SC 2019) with the low day 2 score and posting a total of 75, 71 = 146 (+4) on the weekend. Hatcher made 4 birdies throughout her second round.
In third place, with a two-day total score of 71, 75 = 146 (+4) is Mackenzie Gallagher (Orlando, FL 2021). Gallagher found her best success in round 1 on the front 9 shooting (-1).
Nicole Adam (Pinehurst, NC 2020) leaves Blythewood with a fourth place following a strong showing at Columbia Country Club. Adam shot a 72 (+2) for round 2, closing out a weekend total of 78, 72 = 150 (+8). She had 2 birdies throughout round 2.
There was a two-way tie for 5th place. Closing out the Top Five in the Bell National division, Kayla Dowell (Mebane, NC 2021) won the scorecard playoff with the low day 2 score and posted a two-day total score of 78, 73 = 151 (+9) on the weekend. Dowell birdied her last hole of the day to land a top finish at the 2019 PKBGT Imperial Girls Classic. Mikayla Dubnik also finished the tournament with scores of 75, 76 = 151 (+9).
Futures National
Storming out of the gates on Sunday, Taylor Burch (Elgin, SC 2021) took the trophy home after shooting a score of 70 (E). She made four birdies throughout her round to take the 2019 PKBGT Imperial Girls Classic championship!
In second place, Reagan Folk (Madison, GA 2024) finished three shots behind the leader following Sunday’ s final round. Posting a score of 73 (+3) on the afternoon, Folk finished runner-up, with two birdies on the front nine.
There was a two-way tie for third place. Elizabeth Lohbauer (Huntersville, NC 2021) won the scorecard playoff with a par on the 18th hole and finished in third place following Sunday’s final-round action. She finished with a score of 74 (+4) and found her best success on the back side (+1).
Walking out of Columbia Country Club in fourth place on Sunday evening, Ella Stalvey (Blythewood, SC 2023) put herself in position to contend throughout the day. Her final-round score of 74 (+4) was the product of grit and determination. She pushed through the pack to earn a top finish in Blythewood.
Rounding up the top finishers at the 2019 PKBGT Imperial Girls Classic is Ellen Yu (High Point, SC 2026). Yu posted a score of 76 (+6), finishing in fifth place for the tournament.
Closing Remarks
We would like to extend our greatest thanks to the staff at Columbia Country Club for their incredible hospitality this weekend in hosting the 2019 PKBGT Imperial Girls Classic! We would also like to acknowledge our partner, Imperial Headwear, for presenting the event and providing the official headwear of the PKBGT. Congratulations to all of our top finishers from the weekend in Blythewood!
Final Results
About the PKBGT
Founded in 2007 by the Triad Youth Golf Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization, as a local girls’ golf tour in the Triad region of North Carolina, the tour began as a simple concept: create more effective competitive playing opportunities for girls. By utilizing innovative yardage-based divisions instead of the traditional age-based format, the tour focused on developing tournament experience at the player’s pace. The 2019 season will feature over 90 tournaments in 9 states on the East Coast and with over 900 members, the PKBGT is the largest girl’s only tour in the country. Learn more about the PKBGT at http://www.pkbgt.org/.
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