Naomi Ko of Victoria struggled with the Vernon Golf & Country Club greens while shooting a 7-over 80 Tuesday.
The North Carolina State Wolfpack sophomore figured them out Wednesday, carding a scorching 6-under 67 for the low score of the day and leaving her three shots back of B.C. Amateur Women’s Golf Championships leader Maddie Szeryk of Texas.
Szeryk, a Team Canada member, produced a 74 in Thursday’s third round after a 69 Tuesday, the best in the field of 48. The tournament ends Friday.
The top 28 players and ties after 36 holes moved to Thursday play. Ko, who won the 2016 Canadian Junior Girls Championship, is a member at Royal Colwood Golf Club.
She hadn’t seen Vernon Golf Club until her practice rounds earlier this week and quickly learned that the greens are somewhat of a crapshoot.
“You definitely have to think about where you want to position yourself on the greens,” she told Golf B.C. after her 80. “There are some holes where you can go for it and make some birdies, but there are some where walking away with par is just fine.”
Ko, 19, birdied seven holes Thursday, including five on the back nine. She posted nines of 35 and 32, scoring birdies on the final three holes.
She was the first-round leader with a 69. Just five strokes behind Szeryk is 2015 Amateur champion Michelle Kim of Surrey, who fired a 73 Thursday.
Calgary’s Jacyln Lee of Team Canada was fourth, six back of Szeryk, after shooting 73. National teammate Grace St-Germain of Ottawa was fifth, nine strokes out of first, after fashioning a 74.
Szeryk, 20, coming off a super sophomore season with the NCAA Texas A&M Aggies, posted nines of 34 and 35 while playing a bogey-free round Wednesday.
The dual citizen recorded birdies on the fourth, eighth, 10th and 14th holes. Szeryk, who fired an opening-round 70, finished tied for 14th in the Canadian Amateur last year in Nova Scotia. Michelle Kim of Surrey was alone in second place after shooting 73.
Kim posted nines of 38 and 35. She had bogeys on the third, fifth and seventh holes. Jacyln Lee of Calgary was third, one stroke behind Kim, with a 74.
Grace St-Germain of Ottawa was fourth after producing a 70 for a 148 total. Ko registered a triple-bogey on the 11th hole en route to a 43 back nine Wednesday.
Three-time champion Christine Proteau of Port Alberni was seventh at 79-71-80-230, 17 shots behind Szeryk. Proteau was five shots behind Kat Kennedy of Okotoks, Alta., a UBC Thunderbird grad who was at 74-77-74-225.
Kelowna teen Tiegan Taylor was eighth at 76-77-79-232, while Jessica Claggett of West Kelowna went 83-79-79-247 and Emery Bardock of Armstrong (Spallumcheen Golf &CC) was at 82-81-87-250.
Kylie Jack of West Kelowna, who plays out of Nk’Mip Canyon Desert GC in Osoyoos, also survived the cut and came in at 80-84-85-249. Emma Sabbagh of Kelowna was 85-81-85- 231.