Ephrata's Peters runner-up at PNGA Junior Girls Championship
Courtesy photo Ephrata rising senior Kenedee Peters flashes a smile with her runner-up trophy at the 62nd PNGA Junior Girls Championship. Brittany Kwon, of Central Kitsap, won the event for a second time, defeating Peters 1-up.
FLORENCE, Ore. — Fittingly, the final hole decided the 62nd PNGA Junior Girls Championship.
Ephrata’s Kenedee Peters narrowly missed a 15-foot chip shot for eagle on the 18th hole. Brittany Kwon, of Central Kitsap, stuck her third shot five feet from the pin, sunk her birdie putt and pushed the hole to win the match 1-up.
Both girls finished the championship round with a 68 4-under.
After a back-and-forth day, Kwon birdied the 16th hole to take a 1-up lead.
Peters, who has verbally committed to Washington State University, trailed by one hole entering the 18th tee box. Peters needed to win the hole to prolong the match.
On the par 5 no. 18, Kwon hit her third shot five feet from the pin and later drilled her birdie putt for the win after Peters’ chip shot for eagle slid past the top side of the hole and settled two feet away.
Peters defeated May Wang, Phoebe Yue and Cassie Kim on her way to the championship round.
Kwon previously won this tournament in 2014 and is a two-time Class 3A state champion at Central Kitsap High School. Peters is a rising senior at Ephrata High School and has won two Class 2A state championships.
Peters and Kwon will be teammates at the USGA Women’s Four-Ball Qualifier Sept. 5 at OGA Golf Course in Woodburn, Ore.
—Staff report