Tag Archives: East Kentwood Golf

East Kentwood Golfer Elise Fennell takes second in state in Division 1

East Kentwood Golf Coach Mike Ketelaar and Elise Fennell at the MHSAA State Finals. (Courtesy, Josh Fennell)



By Cris Greer, WKTV Managing Editor

greer@wktv.org


East Kentwood golfer Elise Fennell finished second in state in Division 1 at the MHSAA State Finals held Oct. 14 and 15 at the Bedford Valley Golf Course in Battle Creek.

Fennell finished one stroke behind state champion Kate Brody (Grand Blanc), who grabbed her second title in three years.

Brody took the top prize with a score of 73-72 (145), while Fennell placed second at 76-70 (146).

An inch short of a playoff

“I was so close to tying it up on the last hole to go into a playoff,” said Fennell, a junior who placed fourth and seventh, respectively, in the previous state finals. “I had a 12-to-15 foot putt for birdie, while Kate had a tap in for par and I left it an inch short.

“I am very happy overall to finish second. I played really well the whole event and did everything that I could. I was just trying to enjoy my last high school event of the year.”

Fennell said she will play in the Notah Begay Jr. Golf National Championship the first week of November in Louisiana and will then “take a month off to relax.”


East Kentwood golf standout Elise Fennell at the State Finals.(Courtesy, Mike Ketelaar)



East Kentwood Coach Mike Ketelaar said he couldn’t be happier for Fennell.


“I have been very blessed with memorable experiences throughout my own high school and college golf career, and these were easily my favorite days ever on a golf course watching Elise in her element,” Ketelaar said. “I have never been so proud of a student-athlete before.

“Elise is fearless on the golf course. When she made a clutch par putt on Hole 17, I had a gut feeling she was going to tap into another level and give everything she had to make a run at the current leader at that point, who she was playing with.

“She put together her A-game on the remaining four holes. It was truly special to watch her play those four concluding holes to near perfection.”

From left; Kate Brody, Grand Blanc, state champion in Division 1 (73-72 — 145); Elise Fennell, East Kentwood, second place (76-70 — 146) and Jessica Jolly, Rockford, tied for third with Grace Wang, Rochester Adams, not pictured (72-77 — 149). (Courtesy, Mike Ketelaar)