-- photo Golf Canada
RICHMOND, B.C. Canada (Aug 5, 2011)-- Jennifer Yang of Coquitlam, B.C., is the winner of the 2011 Royale Cup Canadian Junior Girls Championship while Team Canada Development Squad member Jisoo Keel also of Coquitlam, B.C. wins the Juvenile division by one stroke at QGolf Club in Richmond, B.C.
Jennifer Yang, 17, birdied two of her last three holes to finish the championship at 7-under par (285) and win the 2011 Royale Cup Canadian Junior Girls' Championship. Yang trailed by one stroke heading into today’s final round but made four birdies en route to a 3-under par (70) and a three shot victory. The 2011 B.C. Junior Girls Champion saw an improvement from last year’s results at this championship where she finished T10.
“On the 18th I hit my 3-wood but it was a little short of the green. So I had an approach shot into the pin and put it to about 10-feet,” said Yang of her birdie on the 72nd hole. “I was told after that nobody made that putt all day, but I just happened to make it and take the lead.”
In a championship that saw Coquitlam, B.C. residents atop the leaderboard after each round Yang was very proud of her friends and teammates.
“I’m just so proud of everyone else from the same area. All my friends really played great, Jisoo [Keel], Anica [Yoo], and Soobin [Kim], those girls really motivate me and each other all the time.”
The rest of the leaderboard was an all-Coquitlam, B.C., gathering as Anica Yoo, SooBin Kim, and Jisoo Keel finished in a three-way tie for second. The B.C. trio finished the tournament at 4-under par (288).
Yoo, 17, made six birdies on the day to finish the day at 3-under par (70). The impressive round helped vault her from seventh to a tie for second place.
Kim, 18, the leader heading into the final round, seemed poised for the championship but a bogey on the 12th and 13th hole proved costly for the 18-year-old.
Keel, 15, was also in the mix throughout the day but bogeys on 17th and 18th holes pushed her out of contention. The Team Canada Development Squad member is readying game for the CN Canadian Women’s Open at Hillsdale Golf and Country Club, August 22-28. The 15-year-old earned an exemption by way of her 2nd place finish on the CN Canadian Women’s Tour Order of Merit.
Team Canada Development Squad member Augusta James also had a valiant final round push for the championship finishing in fifth place. The Bath, Ont., native started the day at even par, six strokes back of the leader. After making five birdies she pulled herself within two of the leader. A bogey on the 17th caused her to finish the day 3-under par (70) and 3-under par (289) for the Championship.
In the Juvenile division Jisoo Keel captured the title by two strokes over MacKenzie Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont.
Henderson struggled on the front nine but a birdie on the 15th gave the 13-year-old a final round 3-over par (76) and a 2-under par (290) for the Championship. Henderson also finished in sixth place in the overall Championship.
Rounding out the top-three was Team Canada Development Squad member Taylor Kim of Surrey, B.C. Kim, 16, finished the tournament at 2-over par (294).
2011 marks the 56th playing of the Royale Cup Canadian Junior Girls Championship. The event is 72-holes stroke play and features 128 of the top Canadian and U.S. juniors competing for the Brokenshire Trophy. It is the seventh time the event has been played in the province of British Columbia.
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ABOUT THE Canadian Junior Girls
72 hole stroke play championship. Following the first
two rounds of play, the field will be reduced to the
low
70 players and ties with the top ten juveniles and
ties
included in the final round.
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