California Junior Girls: Childs over Scavo

6/30/2011 | by

-- photo CWAC Committee

Carly Childs of Alameda wins with a 5 & 3 victory over Kathleen Scavo of Benicia

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (June 30, 2011) -- Carly Childs, who turned 17 on Wednesday, emerged victorious in this week’s 62nd annual California Junior Girls’ State Championship. In Thursday’s thrilling final on the Dunes Course at Monterey Peninsula Country Club, she defeated Benicia’s Kathleen Scavo 5 and 3. Childs, who will be a senior next year at Alameda High, has committed to play at Cal in 2013, yet another major step in an already impressive competitive golfing career. Just two weeks ago, she placed second in a qualifier for this year’s U.S. Junior Girls' Championship. A few days later, she won the Northern California PGA Junior Girls’ Championship, qualifying her for this year’s Junior PGA Championship. Having shot a 1-under par 72 in the qualifying round on Monday to earn medalist honors and the first seed position, Childs had a close final match with her 13 year-old opponent, Kathleen Scavo, whose goal was to become the event’s youngest ever champion. The pair were tied through the front nine. But what made the difference between victory and defeat, as it so often does in a tight match, was the putting. On the back nine, Childs won the 10th and 12th holes making challenging putts on the fast surfaces. Then on the 14th hole, a magnificent ocean-front par 3, Childs made a critical par putt to go 4-up. Though both players had makeable birdie putts on the par-5 15th, Scavo’s effort lipped out, while Childs coolly rolled hers in to seal the victory. In the morning semifinals, Childs, who made four birdies, earned a 2 and 1 victory over Ashley Noda of Roseville. In the other semifinal match, Scavo showed her competitiveness and remarkable maturity finally defeating Mariko Tumangan (a two-time runner up in this event) on the 21st hole. Nina Fairbairn of Orinda won the Helen Lengfeld flight, defeating Caroline Belmont of Freedom, 5 and 4. In her earlier matches, Belmont had seemed unstoppable, with victories by margins of 7 and 6 and 6 and 4 respectively. The spectators had the opportunity to observe a superb exhibition by some very talented young golfers, several of whose names we should expect to see in future at the highest levels in the amateur and professional ranks.

About the California Junior Girls

The California Junior Girls State Championship was the first of its kind on the West Coast. It began in 1950 at the Old Del Monte Golf Course in Monterey. In 1974, the tournament was moved to Monterey Peninsula Country Club in Pebble Beach where it c...

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