Posted on: Thursday, June 24, 2004

Kokx moves into match-play semis

Advertiser Staff

Bobbi Kokx is two wins from achieving a golf rarity at the Hawai'i State Women's Golf Association State Stroke Play Championship.

Kokx, a Kihei Elementary teacher, won her quarterfinal yesterday at Oahu Country Club.

The former University of Hawai'i golf coach defeated Ha'aheo Manini-Hewlen, 7 and 5, to move into today's semifinals against Stacie Nishimoto, who ousted former UH golfer Bobbie Arakawa, 5 and 3.

If Kokx wins today and tomorrow, she would become the first woman to capture three consecutive state match play titles in nearly 70 years. Codie Austin (Cooke) won four in a row beginning in 1934, when she was 14.

On the other side of the bracket, top-seeded Mari Chun defeated Jade Merkle, 6 and 4, and Ayumi Hori stopped Desiree Ting, 2 and 1.

Chun, who will be a senior at Kamehameha in the fall, lost to Kokx in last year's final. Hori just finished her freshman year at Idaho, where she earned all-Big West second-team honors.

Today's semifinals start at 8 a.m., with tomorrow's final beginning at 7 a.m. All are scheduled for 18 holes.