Pinehurst, NC – The Peggy Kirk Bell Girls’ Golf Tour traveled to historic Pine Needles in Pinehurst, NC for the season-ending Tour Championship, where the year-long Order of Merit points race would be awarded.
The Order of Merit is the season-long points race for each division on the Peggy Kirk Bell Girls Tour similar to the PGA Tour’s Fedex Cup or LPGA Tour’s Race to CME Globe. PKBGT players earn Order of Merit points throughout the season at National Series tournaments with their top-five point earning events counting towards the standings. The number of points available in each event is adjusted based on number of players in the field, historical strength of the field, and the classification of the tournament. The trophy rewards players for their sustained success over the entire season.
Much like the Prep Preview division, many players in the Futures National division entered the PKBGT Tour Championship with a chance at the Order of Merit title:
- Makenzie Aaron (Browns Summit, NC 2029), Ella Spence (Waxhaw, NC 2029), Ryland Portadin (Colts Neck, NJ 2029) and Madison Woodrum (Statesboro, GA 2029) would clinch with a Tour Championship victory.
- Aaron would win earning no more than 8.5 points less than Spence, 14.5 points less thanPortadin, 19 points less than Woodrum and 25 points less than Arley Jennings (Spartanburg, SC 2030).
- Spence would win beating Aaron by 8.75 points and earning no less than 6.25 points from Portadin, 10.75 points less than Woodrum and 16.25 less than Jennings.
- Portadin would win by beating Aaron by 15 points, Spence by 6 points and earning no less than 4.5 points less than Woodrum and 10.5 points less than Jennings.
- Jennngs would win by winning Tour Championship AND Aaron not finishing solo 2nd.
With all the possible scenarios, it was a true toss-up and the players would need to let their play do the talking at the Tour Championship. Jennings and Aaron played the best in round one of the players in Order of Merit contention by posting a 75 (+3) to tie for third at the halfway point. Woodrum sat one stroke behind after her opening 76 (+4). Through 18 holes, Aaron was projected to be the Order of Merit champion with many right on her heels.
Jennings path to an Order of Merit title was clear, she needed a victory on Sunday and some help. She played her first nine in 3-over par which was enough to tie her for the lead and with a birdie on #10, she took the outright lead. With Jennings in position, Aaron would be the only one able to catch her in the Order of Merit rankings, needing to finish in solo second if Jennings held on. Aaron made a birdie on #17 giving her a chance at solo second but would bogey the 18th eventually finishing in a tie for third.
After the 16th hole, Jennings lead the division by two strokes with two holes to play. Jennings closed emphatically, birdieing the final two holes giving her a statement four shot victory and the Order of Merit title as well.
The 2024 season was Arley’s first at the PKBGT National Series level and she excelled finishing in the top-10 six times. She made a birdie or better 33 times, good for 11.45% of her holes on the season, saving her final two for a great time leading to her to win first National Series event.
Congratulations, Arley on a fantastic first National Series season! With their top-two finishes in the Futures National Order of Merit standings, Jennings and Aaron have both been invited to the 16th PKBGT Invitational, the premier PKBGT Championship event. We’re thrilled to welcome both to the Country Club of Landfall as they play for the coveted title for the first time!
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 2022 season will feature over 138 tournaments in 12+ states and with over 1,000 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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