On Sunday, August 4, the Peggy Kirk Bell Girls’ Golf Tour played the first round of the 2019 PKBGT Terrapin Classic at the University of Maryland GC in College Park, MD.
A full night’s rest and extra morning preparation were necessary for the University of Maryland Golf Course to recoup from the battering it took Saturday afternoon. Four separate members leveled the course posting rounds in the red, including two three-under-par performances by the respective leaders.
Channeling the Carolina heat of its southern siblings, Maryland’s first-round tranquil breeze and optimal conditions were replaced by musky, stagnant air on Sunday. Nonetheless, players marched on along the fairways digging deep within to replicate Saturday’s success on the course.
One by one, pairings approached the starting tent to receive their scorecards and strap in for a wild ride that would be their final round. Despite a noticeable margin separating the leaders from the field’s majority, anything is possible on the PKBGT. Each drive on the first tee opened a door of opportunity and commenced a new day for the girls competing.
Down to the final putt, the field of 48 put forth their best effort in fighting for a coveted spot among the top finishers. Both divisions showcased the PKBGT’s talent of the Middle Atlantic region in tackling the Division I challenge of UMD Women’s Golf’s home course.
As the sun set over College Park’s picturesque backdrop, groups approached the finish line on the 18th green. With the scorecards signed and the totals tallied, let’s see how the leaderboard fared!
Bell National
There was no slowing down for our Bell National champion, she was feel-ding it! That’s right, posting her second consecutive under-par round, Paris Fieldings (Suffolk, VA 2023) ran away with the 2019 PKBGT Terrapin Classic championship! Fieldings carded nine birdies on the weekend, including a tournament-ending four on the par-five 18th green. She departs College Park with a two-day total score in the red: 69, 71 = 140 (-4).
Locked in a two-way tie for second place, Sydney Hackett (Ashburn, VA 2022) and Minglian Huang (Nanning, China 2021) matched each other’s performance with two-day total scores of 146 (+2). Hackett made two birdies in her final round, closing out the weekend with scores of 72 and 74. Huang found her best success with an under-par first round, but held a share of second with scores of 71 and 75.
Following up an under-par first round, Ester Choi (Midlothian, VA 2021) planted three birdies throughout her final round including one to close the weekend. Choi held on to sole possession of fourth place after a two-day total score of 70, 77 = 147 (+3).
Rounding out the Bell National top finishers, with a two-day total score of 76, 73 = 149 (+5), Sue Lee (Lorton, VA 2022) earned a fifth-place finish at the University of Maryland. Lee saved her top-five finish with back-to-back birdies down the stretch, closing out the tournament in style: a PKBGT Terrapin Classic medal!
Futures National
The Futures National division would not be decided in regulation. Powering through an improbable comeback, Josephine Nguyen (Springfield, VA 2024) forced a tiebreaker playoff making two birdies in her last three holes. Draining a lengthy par putt, Nguyen completed her run, winning the championship trophy! She finished with a two-day total score of 72, 73 = 145 (+3) for her second win of the season!
Finishing runner-up, Helen Yeung (Clarksville, MD 2024) drove the bus on day one and narrowly missed out on her second win of the season. Yeung added two birdies to her astounding weekend total, matching Fieldings in the Bell National division with nine! Her two- day total score was 68, 77 = 145 (+3).
Traveling up the coast from North Carolina, Sophie Lauture (Raleigh, NC 2024) heads home after a third-place finish in College Park. Lauture’s two-day total score of 76, 75 = 151 (+9) was the result of two eagles and five birdies!
Consistency is key. That concept earned Paige Warren (Baltimore, MD 2021) her fourth-place medal after posting a weekend score of 76, 76 = 152 (+10). Warren sprinkled four birdies across her final round including a momentous four on the par-five ninth hole turning into the back nine.
Capping off our top finishers at the University of Maryland was a cluster of competitors fastened in a three-way tie for fifth place. Fannie Sukhumparnich (Bethesda, MD 2024), Lauren Lombardo (Severna Park, MD 2021) and Sydnee Gaines (Nottingham, MD 2023) each posted weekend scores of 153 (+11).
Closing Remarks
We would like to thank the University of Maryland Golf Course for their hospitality in hosting this weekend’s event! College Park and Terrapin territory did not disappoint, extracting the best out of the PKBGT’s competitors. Congratulations to all of our top finishers at this weekend’s 2019 PKBGT Terrapin Classic!
Final Leaderboard
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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