Ephrata's Peters playing most consistent golf of her career
File photo Kenedee Peters of Ephrata is playing the best golf of her career. She finished 11th at the Portland Classic Amateur at Langdon Farms Golf Course in Aurora, Ore., on Wednesday.
AURORA, Ore. — Ephrata senior Kenedee Peters’ bid to qualify for the LPGA Safeway Open Aug. 31-Sept 3 came up a bit short at the Portland Classic Amateur at Langdon Farms Golf Course on Wednesday.
Peters shot 5-over-par 77 to finish in a tie for 11th, but it was another solid performance. University of Oregon junior Kathleen Scavo won the tournament with 4-under-par 68 to earn a berth in the Safeway Open.
“I’ve been playing the most consistent golf of my life,” Peters said. “I haven’t had that great round, but I am consistently going lower and lower. I’ve been shooting around 70 all summer and that’s the standard I hold myself too.”
It’s been a breakout summer for Peters, a two-time 2A state medalist heading into her senior season of high school. She won the WJGA District 4 Sub-District No. 3 at Desert Aire Golf Course with a course record of 2-under-par 70.
Peters, who has given a verbal commitment to play Pac-12 golf at Washington State, was 20th at the U.S. Women’s Open Sectional Qualifier and ninth at the IMG Junior World Championships qualifier earlier this summer.
The 20th-place in the 56-golfer field at the U.S. Women’s Open Sectional Qualifier at the OGA Golf Course, Woodburn, Ore., was a quality finish. She didn’t qualify for the Women’s U.S. Open, but what makes her effort so impressive is that the field featured eight professionals and 48 amateurs, including the NCAA National Champion, Monica Vaughn (72-73-145) from Arizona State University.
Peters was just five strokes behind the defending NCAA national champion, finished 36 places higher than some of the best college golfers in the country. LPGA Tour player Becky Morgan of Wales (66-70) won the thing with 8-under-par 136. Sixteen-year-old Brooke Seay (69-70) from Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., was the second qualifier at 139.
Peters also had a big performance in the elite field at the 116th PNGA Women’s Amateur at Fairwood Golf & Country Club in Renton. Peters lost to Samantha Martirez, from California Baptist University, 3 & 2 in the semifinals with another impressive run through a predominantly collegiate field that included just two high school players.
Throughout the spring and summer, she has set three new course records, including a remarkable 6-under-par 66 at Gamble Sands Golf Course in Brewster during the 2A regular golf season. The Tigers senior won a district championship with a 2-under-par 69 on her home course at Lakeview Golf & Country Club in Soap Lake. Now, she owns the best women’s score at Desert Aire Golf Course with a 2-under-par 70.
Peters concludes her summer schedule August 14-18 at the PNGA Girls Junior Amateur at the Sandpiper Golf Course in Florence, Ore.
Rodney Harwood is a sports writer for the Columbia Basin Herald and can be reached at rharwood@columbiabasinherald.com