Grace Kim and Jed Morgan are bringing home silverware from the Asia Pacific Junior Championship.
The talented Aussie pair capped an outstanding week with two more commendable individual rounds on Friday at the Hong Kong Golf Club assuring a second-place finish in the team section.
A two-under-par 68 for Queenslander Morgan combined with a 72 for Sydneysider Kim to leave the Aussie pair at 10 under overall, seven shots adrift of runaway winner Japan.
Impressively in their first appearance for Australia, the second team of Victorians Nathan Page and Kay Bannan fought hard for rounds of 74 and 77, respectively, leaving manager Matt Cutler full of praise for the youngsters.
“It has been a huge week for two 14-year-olds in international competition for the first time, in tough weather and with a unique team format,” Cutler said.
“They will both take plenty from the experience – they’ve done really well on and off the course all week.”
The in-form pair of Morgan and Kim entered the final day, in which both individual scores counted toward their four-round team total, in the lead after shining in Thursday’s foursomes.
Morgan, who won this individual section last year, was again stellar in sharing fifth, while Australian Junior champion Kim finished T10 in the girls’ division.
So good were there scores at 10 under overall that Morgan and Kim were six shots clear of Korea and Japan No.1 in a share of third place.
But that also highlights the destructive final rounds of Japan’s successful No.2 combination of Yuki Ikeda and Yuka Yasuda, who each carded 66 to blow the field away in reaching 17 under.
Kim was thrilled to have played her part in the unique team format that generates amazing tension.
“It was such a fun week, I really enjoyed playing in a team,” the New South Wales senior and junior state team rep said.
“I was so nervous watching after I had finished my round, but it was great to finish second.”