On Sunday, July 7, the Peggy Kirk Bell Girls Golf Tour played the final round of the 2019 PKBGT Southeast Classic at Country Club of South Carolina in Florence, SC.
After a good night’s rest, competitors returned to Country Club of South Carolina refreshed and ready to go on Sunday morning. Temperatures crept toward triple digits for the second day in a row despite the early start. A steamy Palmetto State hosted the tour’s final southeastern stop on the 2019 national schedule and players prepared to lay it all out on the line for a victory in Florence.
Saturday’s first round of play left the championship trophy in both divisions up for grabs as the field of 29 entered the final round. Just three strokes separated the Bell National division’s top four. Three players were locked in a tie for first place in the Futures National division, with the next closest competitor just one stroke behind.
An exciting season of southeastern junior girls’ golf would come down to one round at the Country Club of South Carolina on Sunday. Yes, there are several national events yet to be completed, but the 2019 PKBGT Southeast Classic served as one final chance for the local talent to defend their home turf among a field of challengers vying for the top spot.
At the end of the day, two players prevailed as champions in their respective division. Let’s dive into the final round action and find out who came out on top!
Bell National
Earning her first win of the 2019 season, Vynie Chen (Centreville, VA 2020) outlasted the field this weekend in posting a two-day total score of 75, 76 = 151 (+7). Chen remained consistent in her performance and capitalized on Sunday with a strong back nine.
Finishing runner-up, Katherine Lemke (Geneva, IL 2021) ripped off a valiant effort this weekend, falling one stroke short of a playoff tiebreaker with Chen for the championship. After a slow front nine, Lemke regained her composure and made eight pars in a row on her back nine. She departs Florence with a two-day total score of 74, 78 = 152 (+8).
Victoria Cook (Reidsville, NC 2020) entered Sunday’s final round in third place and held on to that position at the culmination of the event. Cook made four birdies on the afternoon including three in the middle of a one-under-par 35 on the back nine. Her two-day total score was 76, 77 = 153 (+9).
In her first national top-five finish of the season, Erica Boyd (Charlotte, NC 2020) took fourth place after posting a two-day weekend total of 81, 78 = 159 (+15). Boyd made one birdie in her round on Sunday.
Capping off the Bell National top finishers, D’yan Robinson (Richmond, VA 2022) took fifth-place after a consistent weekend of play in South Carolina. Robinson posted a two-day total score of 80, 80 = 160 (+16) and made two birdies on her Sunday afternoon back nine.
Futures National
Breaking away from the rest of the final pairing, Ellen Yu (High Point, NC 2026) earned her fourth win on the PKBGT national circuit this season! Yu posted a two-day total score of 77, 73 = 150 (+6). After a tight first round, Yu ran away with the victory on Sunday posting a one-over par 73.
Finishing in a two-way tie for second place, Kylie Bowes (Bluffton, SC 2022) and Sophie Lauture (Raleigh, NC 2024) both posted weekend total scores of 155 (+11). Bowes two-day split was 77, 78 while Lauture improved by seven with a two-day split of 81, 74.
McKenzie Daffin (Fayetteville, NC 2021) ended her weekend in fourth place after posting a two-day total score of 78, 80 = 158 (+14). Daffin made one birdie in her final round on Sunday.
Rounding out the top finishers in Florence, Hannah Altman (Lake City, SC 2022) came in fifth place this weekend. Altman posted a weekend total of 77, 84 = 161 (+17) in earning her first top-five finish of the season.
Closing Remarks
We would like to thank the Country Club of South Carolina for their incredible hospitality this weekend in hosting our final event in the Palmetto State. Congratulations to all of our top finishers this weekend in the 2019 PKBGT Southeast Classic!
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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