SURREY — The Canadian Junior Golf Association has announced Surrey's Michelle Kim as the recipient of the 2015 Helena Harbridge Sportsmanship Award.
Kim, 18, is the first British Columbian to win the award, which recognizes sportsmanship, dedication and commitment in the game of golf.
The award is named after Helena Harbridge, an outstanding junior golfer and CJGA alum who died in 2006 during her freshman year at West Georgia University.
"I'm extremely proud and honoured to be named the recipient of the Helena Harbridge Award this year," Kim said in a statement released by the CJGA.
"Junior golf has not only taught me goal setting, it has taught me honesty, patience, sportsmanship and etiquette. It has brought out my inner competitiveness."
Taking a similar path to that of Harbridge, Kim is a freshman at the University of Idaho. She is also a member of Golf Canada's National Amateur Team, after spending one season on their development squad.
In the future, Kim sees herself turning professional after graduating university with the goal of playing on the LPGA Tour.
"I've always had big goals and dreams for golf. This game requires commitment and dedication, and golf has taught me both of those things."
In her CJGA playing career, Kim has earned nine top-five finishes and six top-10 finishes since 2011. Last August, she won the CJGA Western Canadian Junior Championship at Deer Park Golf Course in Yorkton, Sask.
Winners of the Helena Harbridge Sportsmanship Award receive a custom trophy courtesy of Lorry Moffatt and Classic Awards as well as a lifetime membership to the CJGA.
Past winners of the Helena Harbridge Sportsmanship Award:
2006 - Lauren Bowerman-Ritchie (Ontario)
2007 - Juanita Rico (Alberta)
2008 - Jocelyn Alford (Alberta)
2009 - Thea Hedemann (Saskatchewan)
2010 - Shannon Lee Greenshields (Quebec)
2011 - Marlies Klekner-Alt (Ontario)
2012 - Molly Molyneaux (Prince Edward Island)
2013 - Genevieve Stelmacovich (Ontario)
2014 - Bria Jansen (Alberta)
2015 - Michelle Kim (British Columbia)