Posted at 11:24 a.m., Monday, May 28, 2007
Big Isle's Kim wins by 8 shots in top junior golf event
Advertiser Staff
Former Big Island resident Kimberly Kim shot a bogey-free, 5-under-par 67 today to capture the Thunderbird International Junior by eight shots.The tournament at Scottsdale, Ariz., is for players 14- to 18-years old and annually attracts the top junior golfers in the world. Golfers from 16 countries, including 18 states, participated in the tournament.
Kim's three-round total of 10-under 206 on the 6,271-yard Grayhawk Golf Club Raptor Course easily beat out runner-up Vicky Hurst of Melbourne, Fla., who shot 2-under 70 today for a 214 total. Kim was the only golfer in the 36-player field to shoot in the 60s today.
Honolulu's Ayaka Kaneko, a Sacred Hearts Academy student who shared second at 2-under with Hurst after the first round, shot a 1-over 73 and finished tied for eighth with a 4-over 220 total.
Stephanie Kono, a Punahou School student, shot a 5-over 77 for the second day in a row and finished tied for 28th with a 14-over 230 total.
Kim birdied Nos. 4 (par 5) and 9 (par 4) to make the turn at 2-under 34. She also birdied both back-nine par-5s (Nos. 11 and 18) while also recording a birdie on the par-4 11th.
Kaneko's round would have been better if it weren't for the par-5s, where she bogeyed all four. She also three birdies.
Kono had two birdies and seven bogeyes in her round.
Florida's Arnond Vongvanij shot a 3-over-par 75 but still won by two shots in the 42-player boys field. His total was 8-under 208.
