By Duncan Nixon
Correspondent
Despite some very iffy weather, the Peggy Kirk Bell (PKB) two-day Commonwealth Girls’ Classic tournament was completed at the Lake Monticello golf course on March 15 and 16. The first round on Saturday was completed on a drizzly, dreary day. The Sunday round went off early in an attempt to finish 18 holes before the predicted nasty weather rolled in. With most of the young women still on the course, a lightning strike nearby resulted in a discontinuation of play. The competitors mostly crowded onto the small patio at the pro shop with their golf bags and push carts to wait to see if the round could be continued. Fortunately, the storm was fast moving and play was resumed after a relatively short delay.
These young women can play. They play from mixed tees over a course of 5,900 yards. For reference, the women’s red tees at the Lake course play 5,051 yards, while the men’s senior gold tees play 5,610 yards. The average length of LPGA courses is 6,400 yards, which is longer than the men’s white tees at the Lake.
The winning score for the tournament in the Bell Division (the top players) was a one under par 143, posted by Angela Liang, a high school sophomore from Bridgewater, NJ. She shot a consistent 71, 72 to win by four strokes. In second place was Ryland Portadin who came to play from Colt’s Neck, NJ. She is listed as a high school class of 2029 student. After a disappointing first round of 78, Portadin turned in a blazing 69 on Sunday This, not surprisingly, was the low round for the weekend. Her two-day total of 147 was two strokes better than the score of 149 posted by high school senior Joelle Johnson, of Bowie Md. Johnson was consistent, shooting 75 and 74. The best score by a Virginia golfer was good for fourth place. Rose Hall of Yorktown shot 73, 77 for 150. Hall will also graduate high school in 2029.
The Peggy Kirk Bell organization hosts tournaments for high school age and younger women’s golfers year-round. Players come from considerable distances to compete in the tournaments. In the Commonwealth Classic, there were golfers from Schenectady, NY and Peru, IN. There was even one competitor from Canada. The PKB organization divides players into three categories. The strongest players compete in the Bell Division, followed by the Prep Preview players and the Futures National players. The players are included in the appropriate division based on their scores and not their age.
