As top players for four years at their respective high schools, Hilary Lawson (Magruder) and Joseph Kim (Walter Johnson), were high-level rivals who forged a friendship through competition. This summer they have combined forces with impressive results.
At the Bobby Bowers Memorial last month, Kim caddied for Lawson, helping her capture the Girls Division for the first time. Then last Friday, Lawson and Kim combined as players to win the Maryland State Golf Association Mixed Two-Ball.
In an alternate shot format, featuring male-female teams, Lawson and Kim fired a 33-32 — 65 at Argyle Country Club to win by three strokes. How good was their score? Consider that in the inaugural event last year, winners James Jew and Lisa Schlesinger shot 71.
“We didn’t really have a bad hole,” said Lawson. “We never got mad at each other.”
The duo, both members at Montgomery Village Country Club, birdied the first three holes, Lawson making a 25-footer on No. 1 and Kim dropping putts of six and eight feet on Nos. 2 and 3. They started the back nine in familiar fashion, Lawson making birdie putts of 25 and 15 feet on Nos. 10 and 11. Kim drained a 20-footer on No. 17 for their final birdie.
“We played steady and made a lot of putts,” said Kim. “It’s a pretty big deal. There were 88 teams in the tournament.”
On each hole, teams were given the option of who would tee off. Men had to hit from the blue tees (6,413 yards), while women could hit from the red (5,686 yards). Lawson, a powerful hitter despite her slim (120 pound) frame, teed off on most holes, putting Kim in position to hit wedges to par-four holes and reach the green on par-fives.
DYNAMIC DUO
» Lawson, who turned 18 on Tuesday, has won three Mid-Atlantic Girls titles.
» Lawson will play at the University of Maryland.
» Kim, 19, will attend Temple University.
