Athlete of the Week: Westfield athlete making a ‘racket’ with her golfing ability

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Westfield High School sophomore golfer Addi Kooi has only played competitive golf for three years, but she is rapidly developing.

“She’s had an incredible season,” Shamrocks girls golf coach Josh Bryant said. “Her game is blossoming before our very eyes. She plays tennis on Westfield’s team. We love having multiple-sport athletes. She’s a competitor.”

Kooi finished in a two-way tie for fourth place with a 154 total in the IHSAA State Finals at Prairie View Golf Club in Carmel. She shot 79 in the Sept. 30 opening round and 75 in the Oct. 1 final round.

Kooi battled windy conditions in the second round.

“The front nine was a challenge. We had a few shots that didn’t go our way,” Kooi said. “You have to work for every shot out here, and being patient really helped.”

Kooi said she learned some things from the first round, as far as where to place the ball.

“I definitely could have shot lower (than 75),” Kooi said. “I made a few mistakes.”

Bryant said she handled adversity very well during the state finals.

Kooi said she has improved the most in her short game.

“It saved me a lot of strokes getting up and down,” Kooi said.

Kooi’s teammate, junior Samantha Brown, was one shot behind with a 78-77 for a 155 total. Westfield finished seventh as a team.

“(Brown) pushes me so much,” Kooi said. “This is the first time I’ve ever beaten her. She’s made me such a better player to see how she works and (how) she hits the ball. She’s a phenomenal player. It’s definitely impacted my play and got me to this level.”

Brown, who has committed to play for Purdue University’s women’s golf team, and Kooi both earned all-state honors from the Indiana State Golf Coaches Association.

“Sam was the leading all-state points getter,” Bryant said. “The crazy thing about Sam is, she was 14-under par for the season cumulatively.”

Kooi has been playing tennis since she was little. She played No. 3 varsity singles for the Shamrocks as a freshman last season.

“I’m leaning more toward trying to play golf in college,” she said. “But I love tennis and I will play throughout high school. I think I’ve gravitated more to golf, and it is more of my passion now.”

Kooi’s mother, Keri Grossman, played college tennis at the University of Southern Illinois and her father, Jeff Kooi, played basketball at Waldorf College in Forest City, Iowa.

“My dad started golfing when he was young and he taught us all,” Kooi said.

AA ATHLETE OF THE WEEK 1011 pic 2
Addi Kooi finished tied for fourth Oct. 1 in the IHSAA state finals. (Photo courtesy of Addi Kooi)

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