Self Regional Healthcare Foundation and The Peggy Kirk Bell Girls’ Golf Tour presents the Women’s Health Classic Junior Challenge for the second year
GREENWOOD, SC. — In partnership with the Self Regional Healthcare Foundation, the LPGA Symetra Tour’s Women’s Health Classic and the Peggy Kirk Bell Girls’ Golf Tour (PKBGT) have announced the final field for the Women’s Health Classic Junior Challenge, a qualifying event in which the winner receives an exemption into the Self Regional Healthcare Women’s Health Classic on May 10-13, 2018.
For the second year in a row, the Junior Challenge featured a series of junior girls golf tournaments, culminating in a final qualifier, March 24-25, 2018 at the Links at Stoney Point in Greenwood, S.C. The 2018 event featured six pre-qualification tournaments, with events in Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. These events have brought together the top 30 junior girls golfers ages 11-18 on the East Coast.
The champion of the Women’s Health Classic Junior Challenge Symetra Qualifier is Kayla Smith (Burlington, NC 2019) with a two-day total of 74-76-150. Kayla will receive a sponsor exemption into the 2018 Women’s Health Classic — the premier event on the LPGA Symetra Tour — played May 10-13 at the Links at Stoney Point.
Finishing runner-up is 2017 WHC Junior Challenge Champion Lauren Freyvogel (Gibsonia, PA 2019) with a score of 76-75-151. Riley Smyth (Cary, NC 2018) finished in third place after with a score of 79-73-152. Finishing in tie for fourth place is Catie Craig (Sautee Nacochee, GA 2021) with a score of 75-78-153 and Lexanne Halama (Knoxville, TN 2021) 76-77- 153. Megan Furtney (South Elgin, IL 2019) finished in sixth place with a score of 75-79-154.
Previously called the LPGA Futures Tour, the Symetra Tour is the official developmental golf tour of the LPGA Tour. Known as “the Road to the LPGA,” the Symetra Tour has graduated a total of 127 women to the LPGA since 1999.
PKBGT was founded out of a local LPGA-USGA Girls Golf program in Greensboro, North Carolina. LPGA-USGA Girls Golf is the principle initiative of the LPGA Foundation, the non-profit arm of the LPGA.
In 2017, the Women’s Health Classic Junior Challenge represented the first east coast opportunity for a junior player to earn access to an LPGA professional event. For this year’s challenge, over 280 players registered to compete in the Junior Challenge from 13 different states from Florida to Ohio and 2 countries.
“The Women’s Health Classic Junior Challenge is a great opportunity for junior female golfers in the region to be exposed to the professional game,” says PKB Girls’ Golf Tour Director and Co-Founder Mike Parker. “We are excited to partner with the premier event on the LPGA Symetra Tour again and watch a talented up-and-coming junior girl from the region compete against some of the best golfers in the world.”
“The Links at Stoney Point is very excited about hosting the PKBGT Junior Challenge and promoting women’s golf,” said Jim Medford, chairman and owner of The Links at Stoney Point and the Women’s Health Classic Tournament Director. “This series of events enhances our continued efforts to support and promote women’s golf.”
The PKBGT is back in action next weekend with the Carolinas Golf Association for the CGA-PKBGT Vicki DiSantis Qualifiers at Pinewood CC, March 30, and Green Valley CC, March 31. We look forward to a great weekend!
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About PKB Girls’ Golf Tour
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 from Tour Founder Robert Linville, PGA: create more effective competitive playing opportunities for girls in the Carolina’s. Developed as a partnership with Tour Director Mike Parker and two LPGA teaching professionals, the tour set out to change the landscape of junior girls’ golf. By utilizing innovative yardage-based divisions instead of the traditional age-based format, the tour focused on developing tournament experience at the players pace. Learn more about the PKBGT at http://www.pkbgt.org/.
About LPGA-USGA Girls Golf
LPGA-USGA Girls Golf prepares juniors for a lifetime of enjoyment of the game and provides a solid foundation for girls who want to play for fun with friends and family, to compete at the high school, college, and/or local, state and national levels or to learn for future career purposes, both inside and outside of the golf industry. The only national initiative of its kind, Girls Golf is administered through a partnership between The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Foundation and the United States Golf Association (USGA), both non-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organizations. With more than 300 Girls Golf programs in communities across the country, Girls Golf members receive golf instruction overseen by LPGA and PGA teaching professionals who are equipped to take participants from beginner to advanced players. Girls Golf programs also focus on inspiring girls to feel confident, build positive self-esteem and live active and healthy lifestyles by incorporating the “Five E’s of Girls Golf” into their curriculum. Learn more about the LPGA-USGA Girls Golf program at http://www.girlsgolf.org/.
About Self Regional Healthcare Foundation Women’s Health Classic
The Self Regional Healthcare Foundation Women’s Health Classic will be held May 10-13, 2018 at the LINKS at Stoney Point in Greenwood, South Carolina. The premier event on the LPGA Symetra Tour, the event will host the top aspiring LPGA professionals with the largest prize pool on the tour. Situated on beautiful Lake Greenwood in South Carolina, this Championship-style links course delivers an unparalleled lifestyle that’s truly one of a kind. The Self Regional Healthcare Foundation as well as other area agencies, will receive funds from the event to support community outreach services for Lakelands area women and their families, primarily through the Self Regional Health Express, a mobile health unit equipped to provide exams, education and preventive services. Learn more about the Women’s Health Classic at http://www.stoneypointclassic.com/.
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