Rising star Ji Sun Kang came from behind to claim a comprehensive five shot victory from fellow Western Province junior Cara Gorlei, at the Boland Junior Championships on Thursday (Click here to read the Day 1 report on gsport).
The season-opener at Kuils River Golf Club drew nine of the top 10 players in Womens Golf South Africa’s junior rankings, including local favourite and SA number one, Bianca Theron, from Boland.
Although Kang lagged four shots off the pace after an opening 76, the crown jewel from Women’s Golf Western Province junior golf gave the field notice with a second round two-under-par 70.
Tied for first on four over 148 alongside Theron, who returned rounds of 71 and 75, Kang underlined her growing stature when she pulled away from the country’s top ranked junior and the rest of the field, with a final round 68 to triumph on a winning score of two-under-par 214.
Gorlei took lone second on three over 219 with rounds of 75-73-71, while Gauteng North’s Danielle du Toit followed a 75 and 79 with a brilliant 67 in the final round to vault to third on 221.
Theron dropped to fourth on 223 with a closing 77, two shots ahead of first round leader, Kaleigh Telfer, who followed an opening 70 with a pair of 78s.
Gauteng’s Ivanna Samu shared sixth on 227 with 13-year-old Boland junior, Crystal Beukes.
Kang enjoyed a watershed season last year, with the proof of her growing supported by two victories and 13 top five and 15 top 10 finishes on the national junior and senior circuits.
The 17-year-old Milnerton golfer won the Nomads SA Girls and Boland Stroke Play Championships and finished as the runner-up in the Sanlam SA Womens Amateur Match Play. In addition representing South African at the international Duke of York Young Champions Trophy, the Western Province number one also competed in the SA Womens Open, where she tied for 27th.
Kang will be aiming for back-to-back victories when she leads the field at the Western Province Junior Championship at the Metropolitan Golf Club next week.
Meanwhile petite Kaiyuree Moodley from Bryanston Golf Club doubled up on 82s to win the B-Division for 10 – 18 handicaps on 164. She finished five shots ahead of Cara Ford and Dara Steingazner.
The C-Division for 19+ handicaps was won by La-eeqah Adams, who won on 81 points, eight points clear of fellow Western Province junior Aaliqah Abrahams. Boland’s Amore Steyn was third on 67 points.
Photo Caption: Boland Ladies Golf president Lol Jones presents Ji Sun Kang with the Boland Junior Championship trophy. Photo: WGSA
(With editing by gsport)
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