Previewing the Inaugural Short Par 4 Girls Palmetto Tournament of Champions at True Blue
By Dylan Hoffman
We’re now just days away from the kickoff of the inaugural Short Par 4 Girls Palmetto Tournament of Champions, comprised of some of the top high school girls’ talent throughout the Carolinas! A sister event to the Palmetto Boys High School Championship held each April, the Girls Palmetto is a one-of-a-kind, invite-only event with no entry fee for any participating teams and individuals.
Hosted September 16-17 at True Blue Golf Club in Pawleys Island, SC, the renowned Mike Strantz design will yet again offer a true test of tournament golf. There are a handful of strong players in the field, so let’s take a deeper dive into the tournament field!
Durham Academy
Jenna Kim (2027) leads Durham Academy into this event as the strongest player in the field. The 2nd-ranked girl across the Carolinas also holds a Junior Golf Scoreboard ranking of 82nd in the country. Jenna is no stranger to high-level tournament golf, recording victories at the Carolina Junior Girls’ Championship, PKBGT Masters and the NCISAA Women’s State Championship. Teammate Saia Rampersaud (2025) looks to provide Durham Academy with additional great play, sporting an impressive resume of her own as the Carolinas’ 22nd-ranked girl. Saia recorded a win at the Carolinas Girls Classic at Carolina Trace, as well as a runner-up finish at the Vicki DiSantis Junior Girls’ Championship and a T5 finish at the NCISAA Women’s State Championship. Not only is Durham Academy one of the early favorites to win the team title at the Girls Palmetto, but Jenna and Saia should each be in the running for the individual title as well.
Hilton Head Prep
Hilton Head Prep will make the short drive north to Pawleys Island with the Carolinas’ 11th-ranked girl, Bridget Wilkie (2024), leading the way. Bridget will be looking to continue her recent strong play after winning multiple events over the last year including the SCJGA Players Championship, Coastal Carolina Girls Classic and the SCISA State Championship. She also recorded a strong T4 finish at the Vicki DiSantis Junior Girls’ Championship.
Chesnee
Olivia Roberts (2025) leads the charge for Chesnee as the 32nd-ranked girl in the Carolinas. Coming off wins at the 2022 2A South Carolina State Championship, as well as the SCJGA Girls Fall Challenge, she seems to have what it takes to be a real competitor as well at True Blue this weekend. Olivia has also earned impressive runner-up finishes at the WSCGA Junior Girls State Championship and the SC Junior Match Play. Chesnee appears to be in good hands with their No. 1 player and should have a shot at winning the team title this weekend.
Waccamaw and Carolina Forest
The field would not be complete without some of the best talent from our local Grand Strand schools. Looking to play well thanks their home field advantage, nearby Waccamaw High School and their No. 1 player Anna Brown (2024) bear watching this weekend. The 129th-ranked girl in the Carolinas will be looking to make some noise against some of the top talent she will face all year after recording a top 20 finish at the 2022 3A State Championship, and top 5 finishes throughout SCJGA events in Myrtle Beach at the likes of World Tour, Myrtle Beach National and Pine Lakes. Another local looking to make a name for herself is Carolina Forest’s Savannah Sansom (2025). Savannah’s ranking across the Carolinas has been rapidly rising, with a recent jump of 17 spots to 51st in the most recent rankings – thanks in large part to her win at the SCJGA Players Series at Fort Jackson, T11 finish at the 2022 5A State Championship, and T20 finish at the Carolinas Junior Girls PGA Championship. With Anna and Savannah leading the charge for their respective teams, Waccamaw and Carolina Forest each have the firepower from their top players to make a run at the inaugural Girls Palmetto title.
Stay connected to PlayGolfMyrtleBeach.com for further event coverage!
