Rarely does one capture their first career victory in a
tournament as storied as the Santa Clara County Women’s
Championship, on the their home course no less. Rarely do the stars
align so perfectly as they did this week for 21-year-old Kimberly
Bedolla.
Her opponents say she has a bright future in golf. And though
she may celebrate a few more titles in the coming years as a
walk-on at Santa Clara, Bedolla has a soft spot saved for the one
she seized with two impressive rounds at the 6,225-yard San Jose
Country Club.
The Los Gatos native with a 2 handicap shot a 1-under-par 69
Monday and a 75 Tuesday to win the 67th annual tournament.
SAN JOSE – Rarely does one capture their first career victory in a tournament as storied as the Santa Clara County Women’s Championship, on the their home course no less. Rarely do the stars align so perfectly as they did this week for 21-year-old Kimberly Bedolla.
Her opponents say she has a bright future in golf. And though she may celebrate a few more titles in the coming years as a walk-on at Santa Clara, Bedolla has a soft spot saved for the one she seized with two impressive rounds at the 6,225-yard San Jose Country Club.
The Los Gatos native with a 2 handicap shot a 1-under-par 69 Monday and a 75 Tuesday to win the 67th annual tournament.
“It’s very special to me,” said Bedolla, who led by seven strokes after the first day. “It’s my first win, my first time under par and it’s my home course – that pushed me even more to do my best.”
Playing in the championship flight that included Jenni Jenq, a talented young scratch golfer who played for Wellseley, and defending champion and 1984 winner Teri Preciado-Gangi, Bedolla did just enough in the second day to protect her big lead. She hit her stride on the par-4 No. 6, sinking a 10-foot putt for birdie.
“It’s amazing because she’s been golfing for four years. What an accomplishment,” said Gilroy’s Terry Mayes, who finished fourth at 158. “She’s a delightful young lady – Jenni, too. They put on a pretty good show.”
Jenq, who aspires to play professionally, took second at 155, and Preciado-Gangi was a stroke behind. Morgan Hill’s Sheila Michael (202) and Lani Gadsby (205) placed sixth and seventh in their respective flights. Michael was second low net.
“I had some nice long putts,” said Michael, a 21 handicap who was playing in her fourth Santa Clara Championship. “I think my putting was good; drives were good, but I wasn’t as consistent as I’d like to be. You just try your hardest and hope it all comes together.
“I think I had a great group. That has a lot to do with it. You always meet nice people.”
So nice that Preciado-Gangi urged Bodello to go for another win next year.
“She told me, ‘Two years in a row. One of us needs to keep playing to try to win,’ ” Bedolla said.
The underlying theme is tradition, which has been a staple of the tournament. Each year, it draws more than a hundred players who are members of private and public clubs in Santa Clara County.
They play in flights based on handicaps.
“The champion for our county should come from our county. It should be exclusive,” tournament director Mitz Alverson said. “Time to time, we have other people to fill the event, but we’ve been able to keep it exclusive.”
Alverson, who has organized the past 10 tournaments, said this year’s field was the “most impressive” in her time as director.
“We’ve always tried to keep the championship flight to single-digit (handicap) golfers,” she said. “This year, we had 16 single digits.
“Kimberly just had a phenomenal round. Over the years, the lowest single-day round I ever saw was a 72.”
Mayes said the Santa Clara County Women’s Golf Association-sponsored tournament was a success – and she wasn’t referring to her score. Mayes understands what a challenge it is to put on an event. In early June, she and her group held a tournament at Gilroy’s Eagle Ridge Golf Club that raised more than $4,000 for charity.
“The women that put this on, they do a great job; each lady in their own way,” Mayes said. “A lot of the golfers came down for our event, so kudos to them. It was great seeing so many of them out here again.”
