Newton father-daughter pairing aims for Kansas high school golf title
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Naomi Koontz eyes Class 5A state title after top-four finishes freshman, sophomore years.
- Father Matt Koontz becomes Newton golf coach, now allowed to advise daughter in play.
- Koontz adds distance to tee shots through growth, training and multi-sport background.
Newton junior Naomi Koontz has been in the hunt of a state championship since the moment she stepped onto a high school course.
She was fourth as a freshman at the Class 5A state tournament, then third last fall as a sophomore. She’s posted a career-best round of 65 at Salina Municipal, owns two All-Metro selections and finished last season with the second-best scoring average in Kansas at 70.3 strokes.
This summer, she recorded three top-10 finishes, including sixth at the Kansas Junior Amateur and her first win on the Amateur Junior Golf Association in Texas.
Now she’s aiming to complete the climb in a loaded Class 5A field that includes fellow Wichita stars like Kapaun Mt. Carmel’s Mena Sarinana, the 2-time defending champion, and Andover’s Regan Dusenbery.
“I feel like my summer has really prepared me for high school golf,” Koontz said. “My biggest goal is just getting stronger, continuing to work on my short game and get really good at making putts.”
The Railers open the season Tuesday at the Derby Invitational and this year brings a twist: her father, Matt Koontz, is now her coach. He replaces longtime Newton golf coach Joanie Pauls, who retired after last school year.
The move means more than just extra father-daughter time. In past seasons, Matt — watching as a parent — wasn’t allowed to give Naomi advice during tournaments. Now, he can walk beside her, offer feedback and keep her calm when it matters most.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun, but I’m also looking forward to working with the other golfers and getting to know them better,” said Matt, who will also lead the boys team in the spring.
Naomi is far from a one-sport specialist. She’s lettered in basketball and softball for the Railers and previously played club volleyball, a multi-sport background that’s boosted her golf game — especially the strength and athleticism that have translated into added distance off the tee as she’s matured.
“Naomi’s always had a really strong short game,” Matt said. “The one thing that’s held her back some is length off the tee. She’s worked really hard on that and she’s grown a couple inches, which has helped.”
The added distance is already starting to make a difference.
“It makes the approach shots a lot easier,” Naomi said. “Instead of going hybrid into the green, now it’s like a 7-iron. That helps you hit it closer to the pins, and I hope I can keep getting better at that too.”
After two seasons of near-misses, Koontz knows what’s left to accomplish. And this fall, she’ll have her dad by her side every step of the way.
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