Photos by Heather Belcher
The first time Kerri-Anne Cook picked up a golf club, she never dreamed she might make history one day. Cook just wanted to play golf with her family.
Wednesday afternoon at the state golf tournament, the Westside senior turned that early desire to play into one of the biggest moments in W.Va high school golf.
Shooting a two-day total of 152 on the Speidel Course at Oglebay Resort, Cook won the Class AA individual state championship by two shots over Andrew Johnson from Winfield.
In the process, Cook became the first female golfer to claim the individual title in W.Va high school golf history.
The importance of the historic accomplishment was not lost on the young phenom either.
“I honestly hope it inspires some of the younger girls to get out and play some more,” Cook said.
Westside head coach Jeremy Warrix has been along for the ride with his standout golfer for four years and added his perspective on the win.
“History has been made. We are super proud of her,” Warrix said. “The county is proud of her, the school is proud of her and we have had so many messages from people. Even the people around the golf course were excited for her. It has been something else. I am just very, very proud of her.”
The day started with the Westside senior holding a two-shot lead on Stephen McDavid from Winfield. However, it was Johnson, who was four shots back of Cook after day one, that would make a run in the end.
There was no change in the standings after the first nine holes with Cook, McDavid and Johnson all making the turn in 37.
Cook’s lead grew to seven shots over Johnson and three over McDavid heading to hole 14 where the battle took a quick change.
A double-bogey by Cook moved McDavid within a stroke of the lead, but still left Johnson five strokes back.
“It was really tough out there today. The majority of the golfers shot 90-plus and they were good golfers,” Warrix said. “Even after the double-bogey she stuck with her normal routine and never wavered from it.”
With McDavid struggling over the last five holes, a pair of bogeys coming in seemed harmless at the time for Cook who left the 18th green with a three-shot lead.
That was until Johnson made a late run to try and force a playoff.
“I felt pretty good,” Cook said about leaving the 18th green. “I knew I had put out a good score, but you never really know what the groups behind you are going to do. Andrew birdied 16 and 17 to make a good run.”
A bogey on the final hole from Johnson ended the charge for the Winfield senior leaving Cook alone at the top of the leaderboard.
Over her career, consistency as been a key to Cook’s success. That was once again the case in the final high school match of her prestigious career.
Following a 76 Tuesday to take a two-shot lead, the reigning W.Va. Jr. Am champion backed it up with another 76 Wednesday for the history making moment.
“I think yesterday what helped me most was my driver and irons were doing really good,” Cook said. “Today my short-game was really on, so it kind of flip-flopped on me a little bit.”
The run to the state title did not happen by accident and really came as no surprise to anyone that has seen Cook play over the years.
“The work ethic and the time she has spent playing were crucial. Playing in summer tours, having a strength coach and swing coach have all been part of it,” Warrix said. “She is out there in her own yard chipping and putting. She has probably gained an extra 30-40 yards on her drive because of the work she has put in.”
The state championship journey started at a young age and was accomplished through years of hard work in large part on the Callaway Jr. Tour where she has earned numerous Player of the Year honors. A little family competition helped as well.
“I started when I was about three. My dad and my brothers would go play and I was like, I want to go too,” Cook said. “They would haul me down to the course. I finally beat my dad when I was around 11 or so. It took a little longer to beat my brothers.”
Along with becoming the first female golfer to win the state title, Cook also places her name among the golf champions from Wyoming County in recent years.
Cook joins fellow-Renegade Colin Bowles (2014), along with Wyoming East state champions Evan Muscari (2009) and Brett Laxton (2016). Westside won the team title in 2018, while the Warriors grabbed the title in 2016 and 2017.
“That really means a lot. The past couple of years that has been my main goal to finish and get my name up there with all the greats from Wyoming County,” Cook said.
