News from Hope Valley
Courtney McKim came to Durham, North Carolina, from her home in Raleigh with one goal in mind. She wanted to win the Women’s Western Golf Association’s 83rd National Junior Championship at Hope Valley Country Club. Today she reached that goal with two match wins which earned the right to have her name added to the winner’s list which includes Nancy Lopez, Cristie Kerr, Grace Park, Candy Hannemann, Carol Mann and Jo Anne Gunderson (Carner). McKim started the week by qualifying third in the two day Qualifying Rounds with 2 par 72’s for a total of 144. She won her first two matches somewhat easily and found yesterday afternoon’s match rather tough. After her hard fought win this morning over Courtney Taylor, she wanted to retract that statement to say that was the toughest match she ever played. Taylor, from Gastonia, North Carolina, and bound for the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in the fall, was four up after the 7th hole. McKim started her road back with three straight birdies on holes 8, 9, and 10. Taylor won the 12th hole to take a 2 up lead, but lost holes 13 and 14 make the match all square. Taylor won hole 15.  Mckim took hole 16. After tying the 17th hole, McKim parred the 18th hole to Taylor’s bogie to take the match. After defeating Taylor, McKim faced Yugene Lee, Athens, Georgia, in the final. Lee, who qualified 4th, had defeated Rene Sobolewski, Buffalo, New York, in her morning’s match, 4 & 3. Lee took an early 1 up lead in her match with McKim, but McKim’s birdie on the 2nd hole made the match even. Lee won the 3rd hole, but never got the lead back. McKim’s birdie on the 6th hole gave her a 1 up lead which she never surrendered. After tying the 15th hole, the match ended with Mckim defeating Lee by a score of 4 & 3. McKim will start Oklahoma State University in the fall. Previous to today’s win, she had won the North-South Junior Amateur Championship in June, 2007, and the North Carolina State 4A High School Championship in October, 2007. She would have loved to be in the USGA Girl’s Championship being held next week, but she is 18 and not eligible to participate. Tomorrow she leaves for Indiana to attempt to qualify for the USGA Women’s Amateur Championship for the first time. She credits her win to her Swing Instructor, Mike Brooks, who works in Durham. She also found playing in Sunday’s Co-Am Tournament with members of Hope Valley Country Club very helpful. She liked the Hope Valley course but found it “hilly” as compared to other Donald Ross and North Carolina courses that she has played. The tournament required to play 7 rounds of golf in 5 days. She left the tournament site looking forward to getting to sleep before the sun sets. As the tournament draws to an end, the Women’s Western Golf Association (WWGA) wants to thank those that participated in our 83rd National Junior Championship and invite them to join us again next year at Knollwood Country Club in Granger, Indiana.

Contestants
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Courtney McKim Augusta James Jessica Schall Rebecca Lee-Bentham Heather Proctor Allison Emrey Katie Kirk Taylor Slagle Brittany Marchand Amelia Hill Yugene Lee Brianna Cooper Jessica Uem Kaitlin Voll Chihiro Ikeda Kercia Brakel Olivia Lugar Maggie Sahms Courtney Taylor Megan Burnham Minami Levonowich Vivian Tsui Gabriella DiMarco Kirsten Locke Courtney Boe Emily Wright Laura Moutrey Sarah Jane Ababa Rene Sobelewski Lori Beth Adams Michelle Pilo Scotland Preston Ashley Kees Walker McLear Kari Bellville Corey Crossan Elizabeth Szokol Ariel McNair Emily Wickstrom Cassidy Stelzmiller Dlyse Smidinger Samantha Gilder Michelle Hartenstein Laura Wearn Natalie Wisniewski Mackenzie Moir Kristin Wright Andrea Estes Kristen Rhodin Samatha Spencer Ashley Osiecki Nikki Belcourt Karli Helmbecker McCall Christopher Elisa Palluau Mary Ellen Shuman Amanda Castle Megan Tenhundfeld Lisa Nations Kelsey Hughes Sloane Hamilton Shelby Osiecki Lily Crane Steffenie Camarata Molly O'Connor Samantha O'Donnell Emma Marlatt