On Saturday, July 6, the Peggy Kirk Bell Girls Golf Tour played the first round of the 2019 PKBGT Southeast Classic at Country Club of South Carolina in Florence, SC.
Temperatures were scorching in Florence, South Carolina as the Peggy Kirk Bell Girls Golf Tour’s National Series gathered for the first round of the 2019 PKBGT Southeast Classic. The field of 29 gathered at Country Club of South Carolina as their car thermometers inched toward triple digits.
Returning to the Palmetto State, the tour’s southernmost national members were not phased by the toasty conditions. High temperatures and muggy airflow are conditions known to them, simply, as summer.
On the course, the girls jumped out to a strong start. The tournament is up for grabs in both divisions, with a three-way tie promising for an exciting final round in the Futures National division. Let’s take a look at where the leaderboard stands following the first round of play!
Bell National
Getting out to an early lead in the Bell National division, Katherine Lemke (Geneva, IL 2021) posted a 74 (+2). Lemke opened and closed her front nine by making birdies, two of her three on the afternoon.
Sitting just one stroke off the leader, Vynie Chen (Centreville, VA 2020) made two birdies in her final four holes to climb back into contention for the championship. Chen’s 75 (+3) was good for second place at the conclusion of the first round.
In third place after posting a score of 76 (+4) is Victoria Cook (Reidsville, NC 2020). Cook took advantage of an even-par back nine to set herself in a strong position to contend for the win on Sunday.
Telie McCoy (Early Branch, SC 2019) finished the first round in fourth place after posting a score of 77 (+5). McCoy followed in Cook’s shoes with a strong back nine to stay within reach of the leader.
Rounding out the top five in the Bell National division, in a two-way tie for fifth place, is Abigayle Hatcher (Roebuck, SC 2019) and D’yan Robinson (Richmond, VA 2022). Both girls posted scores of 80 (+8) in their first round.
Futures National
Nobody is willing to concede in the Futures National division. Following the first round, there is a three-way tie for first place between Kylie Bowes (Bluffton, SC 2022), Hannah Altman (Lake City, SC 2022) and Ellen Yu (High Point, NC 2026).
All three players posted scores of 77 (+5) on the afternoon and are poised for an exciting final pairing on Sunday.
In fourth place following the first round is McKenzie Daffin (Fayetteville, NC 2021) after posting a 78 (+6).
Rounding out the top five, in a four-way tie for fifth place is Emma Hunt (Lake City, SC 2022), Sophie Lauture (Raleigh, NC 2024), Leah Edwards (Greensboro, NC 2025) and Ella Drew Dodd (Mount Pleasant, NC 2022). Each of those tied in fourth place posted scores of 81 (+9) on Saturday.
Looking Forward
A tight fought first round makes way for a thrilling final round on Sunday! Will Lemke hold on to her Day One lead and take home the championship in the Bell National field? Who will break away from the pack in the Futures National division? Be sure to follow live scoring at the link below to find out who comes out atop the leaderboard!
Live Scoring
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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