Emma Talley continues to perform well against some of the nation’s top young golfers.
Talley, a rising freshman at Caldwell County, battled Kristina Wong of Bradenton, Fla., for medalist honors in Thursday’s final round at the SAP Junior Open, but couldn’t quite make up an eight stroke deficit entering the day’s action.
In the end, Wong held on for her first victory in an American Junior Golf Association event while Talley took runner-up honors.
Wong’s three-day total of 4-under par 212 was good enough to win the girls division by seven strokes in a field that included some of the best girls the nation has to offer.
Always steady and often spectacular throughout the week, Wong, 17, managed the golf course as if she had been playing it her whole life, according to an AJGA news release.
She carded a 1-over par 73 in the final round; however, her five-stroke lead going into the day was good enough to hold off the stellar competition. Wong was paired with Tessa Teachman of Baton Rouge, La., and Talley all week and the three fed off each others’ play. But it was Wong who stayed most consistent throughout the three rounds, which is why she found herself alone atop the leaderboard after 54 holes of golf.
“It hasn’t even sunk in yet, but it feels really good,” Wong said. “It was so much fun playing with (Teachman and Talley) all three rounds, and I definitely think it made us all even better.”
Talley, 14, shot a 75 in opening round action on Tuesday, putting her in fifth. She then shot even par over the final two rounds to finish at 3-over par 219. Teachman, 18, carded a three-day total of 4-over 220.
Talley tried to mount a last-round charge, birdying Nos. 2, 3 and 4. She finished the round with five birdies but that was balanced on the scorecard by five bogeys.
The SAP Junior Open was played at Red Tail Golf Club. The field included 120 boys and girls aged 12-18 from 16 states and Canada.
Talley has played well on the Avon course before, finishing in a tie for third at last year’s event, which was won by Teachman. Talley’s 69 in the 2007 opening round was a course record.
Talley is scheduled to return to action next week, playing in the USGA U.S. Open Girls Qualifier in West Lafayette, Ind., June 30.
n Talley and fellow Kentuckian Ben Simpson were interviewed by AJGA reporters when the AJGA made a stop in Kentucky last week at the Natural Resource Partners Bluegrass Junior in Ashland.
Here are Talley’s responses to the questions:
Q: Who is your role model?
A: Annika Sorenstam. She has a good attitude and a great personality.
Q: If you could live in any decade, which decade would you live in?
A: I would want to live in the ’70s. They have hippies and good music, and it just seems so peaceful.
Q: If you could play golf with anyone, who would you play with and where?
A: Annika Sorenstam because she is my role model and she is retiring. I think I would want to play at Pebble Beach.
Q: How did your golf career get started?
A: We live on the No. 16 fairway at the course by our house, and my brother was going to play but ended up not playing. No one in my family plays, so I thought I would take it on with every other sport I play. My parents wanted whatever I wanted, so they agreed. Next year, golf will be the only sport I play.
Q: What is the best part about being from Kentucky?
A: Everyone asks me where I am from because of my accent. I like my accent. Also, everyone here is nice and you know everyone being from here.
Q: What is one thing you want to do in your lifetime?
A: Skydive! I want to do it sometime in the near future, but first I need to fly over a mountain. I think that’s scarier than skydiving!
Q: Do you have any hidden talents?
A: I am a karaoke champ. Really, I’m not a good singer, but I still love to do it. Oh, and I’m very social. I can walk up to anyone and just strike up a conversation.
Q: If you could have an accent from anywhere, where would you want your accent to be from?
A: I want a British accent. Everytime I try to do a British accent, people make fun of me. My country accent comes out too much, so I can’t do it.
