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Monday, May 22, 2000
Kokx back to
future in Jennie K.
She was playing for
By Bill Kwon
the first time since July
Star-BulletinFor current events, Bobbi Kokx always has her third-graders at Pearl Ridge Elementary School read the front page of the newspaper.
Today, she had them turn to the sports section first.
"Definitely the sports pages first," said Kokx, who enjoyed a blast from the past by winning the 50th anniversary Jennie K. Wilson golf tournament yesterday at the Mid-Pacific Country Club.
Kokx, who won the Jennie K. when she was a University of Hawaii sophomore 16 years ago, won't have to tell her students what she did this weekend.
They can read it for themselves.
Kokx shot a final-round 74 for a 54-hole total of 220 and a four-stroke victory over 16-year-old Rachel Kyono.
Kyono also shot a 2-over 74 with only a double-bogey at the par-4 ninth hole marring her scorecard of 17 pars.
"It's exciting to play well in my first tournament back," said Kokx, playing for the first time since regaining her amateur status last July.
Kokx said she gave up her pro status because there are more opportunities for women in amateur events locally.
Other than the Jennie K., Kokx had played only six rounds of golf this year. She spent most of her time just practicing at the nearby Pearl Country Club.
"Especially working on my mental game," said Kokx, 36, a former UH Wahine golf coach.
That was the key to her victory, she said.
"From Day One I wasn't thinking about the lead. I went out with the idea of shooting 75 each day," she said. "That way, I had no pressure on myself."
She had rounds of 74, 72 and 74 and that proved more than good enough.
The heat and long day on the Lanikai course led to two mental lapses, both leading to three putts, Kokx said.
The one at the par-3 14th was more of a mental collapse, as she drilled a 25-foot putt 15 feet by the hole.
"That was a good 40-foot putt there," Kokx said with a laugh.
Kyono didn't have any three putts, but she didn't have any one-putts either.
"None of my putts were dropping. It was frustrating," said Kyono, who will represent Hawaii in the Betsy Rawls AJGA Invitational in Wilmington, Del., in July.
"She's incredible. She's a solid player and has great composure," Kokx said of Kyono who'll be a senior at Kauai High School this fall.
Summerset Lovett, who came home just for the Jennie K., finished in third place at 75-228. She's working on her master's degree in financial planning at Ohio State where she played for the Buckeyes.
Kathy Cho, who won the Jennie K. in 1996, was fourth at 78-230. The UH sophomore will transfer to the University of Oregon this fall to complete her final two years of eligibility.
