Kim takes girls title in Elite event at the Shore

   Radnor freshman Gabby Kim had another strong showing in winning the girls division at a Philadelphia PGA Junior Tour Elite Tour event over the weekend at Sand Barrens Golf Club at the Jersey Shore.

   The Elite Tour event had just one boys division and one girls division with youngsters ages 13 to 18 all competing against each other.  There was a qualifying event and boys had to have at least a 79 or better and girls at least an 89 or better in a Junior Tour event just to have a chance to qualify for the two-day, 36-hole tourney at Sand Barrens.

   Kim found herself trailing Chichester freshman Caprian Kan following Saturday’s opening round as Kan posted a solid 81 over the 5,815-yard, par-72 Sand Barrens layout to Kim’s 84.

But Kim backed up her 84 with an 85 in the second round and her 169 total left her two shots clear of Kan and Tiya Chowdary of Montgomery, N.J. Kan fell back with a second-round 90, but still had a nice showing with a 171 total.

   On the boys side, Methacton’s Kyle Vance, the Class AAA District One champion as a freshman last fall, had rounds of 74 and 79 for a 153 total that gave him the title.

   He finished a shot better than three players who shared second at 154, including older brother Brandon, a senior at Methacton who had a pair of 77s. The Vance brothers led Methacton to a dominating victory in the District One Class AAA team chase last fall. Also tied for second were Spring-Ford junior Matt Keim (78-76) and Jake Niedosik (79-75) of Lansdale.

   John Updike of Wayne was the youngest player (Class of 2019) to complete both rounds and had an outstanding showing with rounds of 80 and 77 for a 157 total that left him alone in seventh place.