Words & images by Bobbet Bruce
Armand Copok and Monique Arroyo kicked off their 2020 junior golf campaign in grand fashion by winning their respective divisions at the recently concluded 2020 US Kids Golf Australian Open held last January 16 and 17, 2020, at the Coolangatta and Tweed Heads Golf Club in Queensland, Australia.
Copok, came from behind to run away with the Boys 10 Year title with a two-day aggregate of 139 (72-67). He started the championship one down behind Australian Antonio Kovacevic with his even par 72 in the first round with his two birdies negated by two bogeys, the last one on hole 18 to drop him from a tie for first.
Copok went on a roller-coaster ride in the front 9 of the second round with three birdies and three bogeys against the Australian’s one under front nine to drop to two strokes behind. He then went all business in the back nailing an eagle on the par 5 hole 10 then knocked in a par on hole 11 against Kovacevic’s par-bogey to grab the outright lead in the tournament for the first time.
Copok then went on a tear. He banged in four birdies against a lone bogey in the next five holes to bring his total round birdies to seven, with three consecutive from holes 15-17, to take the fight out of the young Aussie who went on a downward spiral. Kovacevic’s +5 in the 6 holes even pushed him off second, yielding first runner-up honors to Yichen Wang of New Zealand with a two-day total 152 (72-74).
Arroyo, a Year 9 student at Assumption San Lorenzo, the granddaughter of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and daughter of Rep. Mikey Arroyo, booked a 150 two-day aggregate (76-74) to win the Girls 12-14 title. She had an eagle spiked 76 on the first day with four birdies then improved her score on the second day with a 74.
Copok and Arroyo are both Wack Wack Golf and Country dependents and will banner the club in the junior interclub championships this summer.
Copok is coached by Temyong Murakami and J3 Altea, while Arroyo is under the tutelage of Gerard Cantada.
Image credits: Bobbet Bruce