From Start to Finish: Kono Secures First Victory
NAPLES, Fla. – Stephanie Kono seized the victory at the Women’s Mid-Amateur after three remarkable -rounds of golf. Kono posted 68-72-75 to secure her first ever FSGA win by one stroke over the field.In addition, Kathy Malpass and Gail Ward captured won the Middle and Forward Divisions respectively.
The Club at the Strand hosted the championship and provided a great test of golf to all of the talented competitors. The course features beautiful views along with tight landing areas and undulating greens. Ball placement and control are keys to having success on this course. When asked about how to play the course, Stephanie Kono explained, “It’s important to hit your targets off the tee, and also making sure you are hitting the right club. I can’t hit driver on a lot of the tee shots here, so it is important for me to have a good plan so that I have a club that I like in for my second shot.”
The first round brought beautiful weather which led to excellent playing conditions. The leaderboard remained tight throughout the first nine holes with Gaby Coello spending the majority of her round at one under par. In addition, Stephanie Kono, Kavita Sehmi, Kathy Glennon, and Bianca Sol Cruz all turned within a stroke of each other. However, it was Kono who birdied her last three holes to emerge with a two stroke lead and a first round of (-4), 68. Kono carded six birdies total over her first eighteen holes with only two bogeys.
Kono extended her lead on the first hole of her second round making a birdie on the difficult par-5. Coello remained consistent at (-2). However, a few bogeys on her back nine brought her back to (-4) as she finished with an even par, 72 to hang onto her two stroke lead through the second round. Kono stated, “This is my first FSGA event, and I am just really happy to be here.”
In addition, Terrill Samuel had the low round of the day carding a (-2) under par, 70. She posted four birdies over the eighteen holes to sit in solo second place heading into the final round. Bianca Sol Cruz and Gaby Coello shared third place at (-1).
The final round was nothing short of exciting as Kono and Samuel battled for first place for the first nine holes. Samuel made an early charge as Kono fell back. Samuel overcame a two shot deficit to sit tied for the lead with Kono through 11 holes. However, consecutive bogeys on the 12th and 13th holes for Samuel passed the lead back to Kono with five holes left to play. Next, Sehmi made a charge moving four places up the leaderboard into a tie for the lead with Kono, while Sol Cruz also remained within one stroke of the lead.
At last, it all came down to the final hole. Heading into the eighteenth, Sehmi and Kono both shared the lead at (-1) with Sol Cruz only trailing one stroke at even-par. Sehmi’s approach found the bunker, and she subsequently made a bogey which brought her back to even par. However, Sol Cruz stuck her approach to ten feet for a makeable birdie putt while Kono had a four-foot putt for par.
As tensions rose, and a chance for a play-off still loomed, Sol Cruz stepped up to her putt and narrowly missed the hole, leaving Kono with a putt to win. Kono found the back of the hole with her putt as well as her first victory in her first ever FSGA event. She explained, “It feels great to play golf again. I played really well the first day, and then not as great the next two days, but it was great to have the competitive juices going.” When asked what this win meant to her she said, “I still have to go back to work tomorrow so winning feels a little bit different now but I am very excited, I haven’t held a trophy in a long time so I feel very grateful to be here.”
Sehmi finished tied-for-second with Bianca Sol Cruz. Terrill Samuel secured fourth place with a tournament total of one-over par.
Middle Division
Kathy Malpass held the lead after the first round posting a (+5), 77. She held the lead by three strokes over Nancy Bradley and Betsy Knights. Malpass secured the win with rounds of 77-77, Betsy Knights finished in second place with rounds of 80-79, and Katherine Moore-Lilly secured third place with scores of 81-81.
Forward Division
Gail Ward held the lead after the first round with a (+10), 82. Diane Paoli sat in second place with a (+12), 84, and Susan Macina held third place with a (+13), 85. Gail Ward captured the win with rounds of 82-87, Diane Paoli finished in second place with rounds of 84-87, and Susan Rogge finished in third place with rounds of 88-84.
