KRISTI O’BRIEN: FROM TINY TOT TO HIGH SCHOOL CHAMPION !
Kristi O’Brien has had an absolute fantastic Junior golf career over the years, including her high school years. She won 11 high school tournaments including 2 times each at the SAC Conference Tourney and Sectional Tournament. Plus she won the 2006 Regional title at Cobblestone with a 3 under 69. She earned enough points to make the All-State team in both her junior and senior seasons. She was named News Sentinel Prep Sports 2006 Co-Golfer of the Year.
In the process, she broke every Bishop Luers High School record many times over! But, her golf life actually started years earlier, so this story will take a year-to-year nostalgic look at her younger golfing days – before high school.
You know, I can’t believe it’s over all ready! How time flies. It seems like just yesterday my wife and I took Kristi (with her sawed off little clubs) out to Lakeside a par 3 nine in September of 1995. Kristi was five years old. She was so excited! She had been to Bobicks earlier in the summer a couple of times. Now it was for real, and she couldn’t wait. Her tiny swing already looked really good. So when she hit her 1st tee shot into the air straight down the middle, maybe we should have known what was to come over the next 12 years. But we didn’t. At the time, all we were concerned with was the present. Lil’ Kristi scored a 9 on her 1st hole despite and practically playing hockey on the greens with 4 or 5 putts. Then she couldn’t wait to get to the next tee box to put her tee in and set the ball up on it again. Dad took the adorable video that day of her carrying her lil’ peewee bag that still looked almost as big as she did, while mom helped her find her ball and line it up properly for the next shot.
Age 6-Mom and Dad entered her in her 1st PeeWee tournament at McMillen Park when she was 6 years old. It was just 4 holes of about 85 yards each. Kristi did well shooting 37 for 2nd place and the ultimate thrill for a 6 year old – her 1st trophy of her young life. We actually entered Kristi in her 1st IGA State tournament in July ’96, just because it was in Fort Wayne —– not because she was in any way ready. There were just 4 girls. Kristi finished 3rd, some 30 shots behind the top 2. She shot 86 in this 6-hole tourney, set up with four par 4’s and two par 3’s. That’s about 14 shots per hole, and she had a blast!
Age 7 & Age 8-Year two, she was still in the 7 and under PeeWee Division of the well-run Parks & Recreation golf season. (Big cheers go out to the Parks and Recreation Department, Dave Scudder and Rick Hemsoth, for running such a fantastic golf program for so many years! They still do and I’ve heard it’s the best in the state.) Kristi won a couple more trophies with a 3rd place at Shoaff Park and a close 2nd place finish at McMillen with a 4-hole total of 27. Then she notched her 1st golf tourney win of her young life at Foster Park, using only 10 putts in 4 holes. Her score of 23-won by 2 shots. She again played in one IGA State 6-hole tournament (4-par 4’s). Looking back now at the names of the 7 year olds that played that day is amazing. If we had a crystal ball back then, it would’ve been fun to watch each of these future talented young lady golfers just starting out. Many are well known today throughout Indiana including Katie Powell, Raquel Hopton, Emily Johnson, Abby Cotter, as well as Kristi. One really bad hole (a 14) cost young Kris a chance at a trophy, but her 53 still got her a 5th place finish, and more importantly some great experience.
The next summer, playing as one of the youngest girls in the Parks 8 and 9-year old division, she didn’t actually win any tourneys. But she continued her golf progress, and played pretty well.
Age 9-This year, 1999, was a break-through year for Kristi. She seemed to establish herself as the summer went on, as the girl to beat in her last year of the Parks & Recreation PeeWee division. She started with a 40 at McMillen (6 holes) to finish 3rd. Then she had a strong driving and chipping round at Canterbury Green, shooting 30 for 2nd place. At Lakeside Kristi won her 1st tourney in 2 years, firing a 28. She won in a 2-hole putting play-off. Kristi 2 putted all 6 holes, and the 2 extra putt-off holes as well. She sunk an 8-foot 2nd putt on the 1st extra hole to extend the playoff. Not bad putting for a 9-year old tyke. Then she notched her 2nd straight win at Shoaff in a round of personal firsts. On back-to-back holes, she made her 1st chip-in, followed by nailing a 30-foot putt for her 1st ever par. Her score of 27 also was a new low. Having only a remarkable 8 putts in 6 holes won it for her!
The following week at the 2 round Tour Championship, she shot 31-28 (59) coming back into a 1st place tie. But Amber Farrant won the McMillen putt-off. Still Kristi had an excellent and consistent summer: 2 wins (plus also helping her team win the mixed-scramble tourney), 2 seconds and a 3rd place finish. Also, Kristi finished 2nd in the UCT insurance Jr. Tourney at Brookwood. The run-away winner was a 13-year old Amanda Blumenhurst. Playing in Amanda’s group really motivated Kristi to work hard at her game to become the best she can be!
To be continued…
> Read More Information About Us
> More Articles Written By Our Staff
- Great American Cleanup Motivates Community Pride - April 11, 2025
- Children’s Hospital Celebrates Volunteer, Marla Lorenz - April 11, 2025
- Free Bike Racks Available To Eligible Businesses - April 11, 2025