According to the April Girls Junior Golf Scoreboard rankings, Emilia was ranked #2 in the country, while Gina checked in at #10. Golfweek has Emilia at #3 and Gina at #8. That said, the two have often flip-flopped with one another on the charts, depending on their most recent performances. In spite of it all, they are refreshingly complimentary and appreciative of each other’s talents. We were able to catch the two girls together for a brief interview recently. This is what they had to say about golf, their friendly competition and their futures. JG: At what age did the two of you start competing against each other? Gina: We played in small tournaments when we were younger, and as we developed our games, the tournaments got bigger and there became a greater appreciation of each other. Emilia: So while it’s a competitive thing, it’s also a nice relationship that we’ve continued to build through social media and the different golf events. JG: Emilia, as a freshman you were the medalist in the North Carolina High School 4A championships. Why did you leave varsity golf to play on the junior tours? Emilia: I loved high school golf and had great fun playing it. But as a sophomore, I felt the junior tours would help to better develop my game and allow me to test it against a wider range of competition. JG: Gina, how did you develop a love for the game of golf? Gina: At first, I played golf with my dad and my sister, and I didn’t really like it. But my sister hated it and quit playing, so I felt badly for my fa- ther and kept playing with him for that reason. As I got better, I realized just how much I was enjoying it. JG: Emilia, what made you decide to attend Wake Forest next fall? Emilia: All of the schools that I visited were amazing, and I would change my favorite each time I’d visit a new one. But Wake Forest was different; it felt like home. Each time I would go there, it just seemed like a familiar friend. JG: Living in Chapel Hill, Gina, and having two parents who are professors at North Carolina, did you get any razzing for selecting Duke as your college? Gina: Oh sure, there has been some friendly teasing. But I think, despite the intense rivalry between the two schools, there is mutual respect. And Duke is also very close by, so I can maintain the same coaches I have been relying on for some time. JG: What coaches have been instrumental in your success? Gina: I used to take lessons in Greensboro, but was looking for someone closer to home and I heard about Ed Ibarguen, who was also Carter Jen- kins’ coach at the time. So I went to meet with him, and I felt like he really knew what he was talking about. Since then, he has been my mentor and so important in helping me take my game to the next level. Emilia: I have had Chase Duncan as my swing coach for about five years, and he’s been phenomenal. Matt Regan has been my putting coach, ever since he watched me putting in the rain several years ago and politely suggested he could fix my putting stroke. So I’m really fortunate with the coaches I have. June 2017 | 13 Subscribe today at juniorgolfmag.net JG: What do each of you see as the greatest strengths of your game? Emilia: I would have to say it is my ball striking. I’ve always loved hitting my driver, and I’m also accurate with my irons. Gina: Ball striking is probably my biggest advantage, too. I’ve worked very hard on it to get it into shape, but it’s an ongoing process. JG: What was it like to play as teammates on the Junior Ryder Cup team? Gina: We had known each other for quite awhile and recognized the oth- er’s strengths, so our coach thought we would do well if paired together for the matches. Relationships take time to build, and this once-in-a- lifetime experience enabled us to bond even more. Emilia: The coach thought that putting us together would be the best thing for the team, and I definitely agreed. I trusted Gina’s instincts on the course, so this was a natural choice. We really had some exciting times and played very well together. JG: Why do you think there are so many really good young female golfers in North Carolina? Emilia: They take golf really seriously here and there are lots of options for aspiring golfers. The Peggy Kirk Bell Tour and the Carolinas Golf Association both offer a variety of really good tournaments and oppor- tunities for juniors to dramatically improve their game. JG: What are your plans for the future? Gina: Both of us are hoping to play on the LPGA Tour. That’s the dream. And we’ll just keep working at it. Emilia Migliaccio (left) and Gina Kim are the friendliest of foes