On Sunday, March 31, the Peggy Kirk Bell Girls’ Golf Tour played the final round of the 2019 PKBGT Commonwealth Classic at Lake Monticello Golf Course in Palmyra, VA.
The leaderboard was crowded in both divisions following the first round of play at Lake Monticello Golf Course on Saturday. A two-way tie for second place and a three-way tie for fourth place left five players within striking distance of the leader in the Bell National division. In the Futures National division, it was a two-horse race with one shot separating the leader from second place.
Another stunning day on the course in Palmyra, VA with temperatures creeping into the 60’s and bright sunshine peeking out from behind the fluffed cloud cover. With 18 holes left to play, Sunday presented the last opportunity for one player to make a move and secure a spot in the LPGA Pure Silk Girls’ Junior Championship Qualifier in May.
Starting times commenced at 10 a.m., and with that, the race was on. At the end of the final round, here is how it all panned out at the 2019 Commonwealth Classic!
Bell National
After a close battle on the back nine, Lydia Swan (North East, PA 2022) took home the 2019 PKBGT Commonwealth Classic championship. Swan held off the competition on the final day of play, shooting a two-day total score of 76, 73 = 149 (+5). Her birdie on the 10th hole kickstarted a run to the title. In winning the tournament, Swan earns the PKBGT’s exemption into the Pure Silk Girls’ Junior Qualifier!
Making a run of her own in the final round, Melissa Meng (Blacksburg, VA 2020) made the turn on Sunday at two-under. A few hiccups at the end of her round allowed Swan to jump into first place, though Meng held on to finish runner-up. The highlight of her round came with an eagle on the par-4 6th hole. Her two-day total score was 76, 74 = 150 (+6).
In third place with a two-day total score of 75, 79 = 154 (+10) was Kendall Turner (Chesapeake, VA 2019). Turner was relatively consistent throughout the day, with the exception of two bumps in the road. Her third-place finish was the second Top Five in a row following her win at the 2019 Cape Fear Classic.
Rounding out the Top 5, in a four-way tie for fourth place were Jennifer Cleary (Wilmington, DE 2020), Rylie Heflin (Avondale, PA 2021), Sue Lee (Lorton, VA 2022), and Elizabeth Beek (Blue Bell, PA 2023). All four players finished the tournament with scores of 155 (+11).
Futures National
The Futures National division came down to a final round showdown between two players. At the end of the final round, Sarah Lydic (Ocean View, DE 2024) prevailed as champion of the 2019 Commonwealth Classic. Lydic closed out the tournament in emphatic fashion with a birdie on the 18th hole. She finished with a two-day score of 77, 79 = 156 (+12).
Leading after the first day, Elizabeth Tucci (New Market, MD 2022) ended the round earning runner-up honors. Tucci finished the weekend with a two-day score of 76, 83 = 159 (+15). Tucci made a birdie on the 17th green to add a highlight to her day and end on a high note.
Amelia Cho (Ashburn, VA 2024) and Anna Swan (North East, PA 2024) finished the tournament in a two-way tie for third place, each finishing with two-day total scores of 82, 84 = 166 (+22). Cho had her best hole of the day with a birdie on the 12th green.
Rounding out the Top Five in the Futures National division was Kanchana Duangsam (Haymarket, VA 2026) who finished in fifth place. Duangsam started off the day on fire, with back-to-back birdies on the first two holes. She came back down to earth for the remainder of the round but stayed in position to be a top finisher.
Looking Forward
We would like to extend our greatest thanks to all of the staff and volunteers at Lake Monticello GC for their gracious hospitality throughout the weekend. The tournament came down to an exciting finish in both divisions and wrapped up an action-packed weekend on the PKBGT. Congratulations to all of our top finishers!
Final Scoreboard
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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