Maple Ridge’s Justin Shin finishes 3rd, named to Team B.C.

It took seven extra holes, but Surrey’s A Ram Choi was able to capture the B.C. junior girls golf title at Golden Eagle Golf Course in Pitt Meadows on Thursday afternoon, completing her come-from-behind victory.

Soo Bin Kim of Port Coquitlam entered the final round of the tournament four shots ahead of the field, but bogeyed the first four holes and added three more on the back nine to finish the day at five-over par 75. Choi, meanwhile, took advantage of the opportunity and tied up the top spot on the leaderboard after firing five birdies on the day for one-over 71.

Kim and Choi entered sudden death tied at three-over 213. The pair would go to six extra holes before Kim hit her second ball on the seventh hole into a hazard and missed the approach shot. Choi sank her putt for par and Kim conceded the hole.

“I came into this tournament just wanting a spot on the B.C. team,” said Choi. “To play on the team as the champion is amazing.”

Defending champion, Sue Kim of Langley, finished in third, while Coquitlam’s Jisoo Keel, representing the Pitt Meadows Golf Club, finished in fourth.

Choi, Soo Bin Kim, Sue Kim and Keel will make up Team B.C. at the Royale Canadian Junior Girls’ Championship at Hampton Golf Club in Hampton, NB in August.

Other local competitors in the field: Jennifer Yang of the Pitt Meadows Golf Club, who finished in fifth place (70-72-73-215); Jenny An of Meadow Gardens Golf Club finished 11th (73-78-80-231); Ahnna Kim of Golden Eagle Golf Club finished 14th (75-78-80-233); Lily He of Swan-e-set Bay Resort finished 26th (87-79-80-246); Alice Nakamura, also from Swan-e-set Bay Resort, finished 44th (86-89-94-269).

Meanwhile, across town at the Pitt Meadows Golf Club, Comox’s Riley Wheeldon dominated the boy’s competition, claiming the B.C. junior boys’ golf title by eight strokes.

Wheeldon entered the final round of play with a two-stroke lead on Maple Ridge’s Justin Shin, shooting an eight-under 64 to secure the win, and tie the course record.

“I really came into today’s round focused,” said Wheeldon. “I knew with the right shots that the numbers were out there. I wanted to start playing like I know I can.”

Defending champion Eugene Wong of North Vancouver stormed up the leaderboard with seven birdies on Friday to finish in second at 10-under 278.

Shin carded an eight-under 280 for third followed by Bryan Lichimo of North Vancouver in fourth at four-under 284.

Wheeldon, Shin, Bryan Lichimo and Nicholas Russell will comprise the B.C. junior boys’ team for the Canadian Junior Boys’ Inter-provincial Championship at Westmount Golf and Country Club in Kitchener, Ont., Aug. 2-6.

Other local competitors: Brian Jung, representing Pitt Meadows Golf Club, finished in sixth place (71-72-72-72-287); Kevin Kwon from Swan-e-set Bay Resort finished 12th (76-70-73-75-294); Maple Ridge’s Charlie Hughes finished 14th (77-70-78-70-295); Connor O’Dell of Pitt Meadows Golf Club finished 17th (76-75-77-69-297); David Lee of Pitt Meadows Golf Club finished 23rd (74-73-78-74-299); Andy Yang of Pitt Meadows Golf Club finished 32nd (75-79-77-72-303); Jun Ho Lee of Pitt Meadows Golf Club finished 38th (76-79-72-78-305); Gunntas Sidhu of Pitt Meadows Golf Club finished 39th (74-77-78-77-306); Tae-in Lee of Swan-e-set Bay Resort finished 44th (80-76-77-74-307); Duncan Bohlen of Pitt Meadows Golf Club finished 69th (76-78-87-83-324).