VALLEY / VENTURA COUNTY SPORTS : GOLF NOTEBOOK : Kim Hits High Note at Phoenix

Hana Kim might not be able to sing but she has proven she can play.

Kim, who lives in Encino, claimed her first American Junior Golf Assn. title on Sunday in the Ping Phoenix Junior Championship on the Karsten Course at Arizona State University.

“I was very nervous coming down No. 18,” said Kim, a senior at Brentwood High. “I was singing to try to take my mind off things. I’m really speechless having won my first AJGA tournament in my final event of the summer.”

Kim played the final hole with a two-stroke lead but missed a 15-foot putt for par that would have assured her the victory.

Angela Rho of Fullerton sank an eight-footer but Kim holed her putt for a winning bogey.

Kim finished at 72-72-72--216, with Rho totaling 70-73-74--217 to tie for second with Erica Blasberg of Corona, who shot 76-71-70--217.

Ina Kim, Hana’s sister, tied for fifth at 75-71-73--219.

Justin Ohye of Calabasas tied for 17th in the boys’ division at 70-72-76--218 and Anthony Kim of Studio City was 20th at 74-73-74--221.

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Kyle Thurston of Moorpark shot level-par 72 and won the boys’ 13-14 division of a Ventura County Junior Golf Assn. event Monday at Buenaventura Golf Course in Ventura.

Sean King of Ventura was second at 76, with Jason Wilk and Ryan Hinkle, both of Camarillo, tied for third at 78.

Richard Young of Oak Park claimed the boys’ 15-17 division at 73, two strokes ahead of James Logeman of Oak Park.

Titus Bonney of Ventura shot 77 and tied for third with Kurt Taylor and Chris Finefrock, both of Thousand Oaks.

Charlene Alfonso of Agoura Hills took the girls’ 13-17 division at 83, four strokes ahead of Nicki Shum of Camarillo. Kristin Smith of Moorpark was third at 90.

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Craig Steinberg of Van Nuys shot two-under-par 70 on Thursday at Desert Island Golf and Country Club in Rancho Mirage to tie for medalist honors in qualifying for the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship.

Steinberg claimed one of three spots available for the 19th U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship on Sept. 25-30 at Old Warson Country Club in St. Louis.

Tim Hogarth of Northridge shot four-under-par 67 on Monday to lead qualifiers and claim one of four spots available at Virginia Country Club in Long Beach.

Jerry Chang of Manhattan Beach, who played at Westlake High, finished second at 68.