Pinili Aiming to Add Medalist Honor as Brother Rice Seeks Finals 3-Peat
By
Keith Dunlap
Special for MHSAA.com
June 8, 2023
The phrase the “third time is a charm” might often be trite and overplayed, but it also couldn’t apply more to Bloomfield Hills Brother Rice senior golfer Lorenzo Pinili.
Two years ago as a sophomore, Pinili finished as the individual runner-up at the Lower Peninsula Division 2 Final, five shots out of first at Bedford Valley in Battle Creek.
Last year, Pinili was the runner-up again at Grand Valley State, valiantly rallying from an opening-round score of 76 to shoot a 68 on the second day at The Meadows, but still ending six shots behind.
Both years, Brother Rice won the team title, so Pinili still left happy.
But no doubt, he hopes the third time will be the charm from an individual point of view when he competes at this weekend’s Division 2 Final at The Fortress in Frankenmuth.
“This year, I definitely have a lot more motivation to finish first,” he said. “It’s a lot of patience. That’s what it is. I just have to trust my game and not really force anything. That’s what most people try to do. If they know they want to get a win or know they want to play well, they’re going to start forcing shots that’s out of their comfort zone or do stuff they don’t really do.”
Pinili, who will play collegiately at Michigan State, has been hitting a lot of good shots throughout a golfing life that started when he was 2 years old.
In fact, while Pinili has no recollection of the moment he took up the game, his father Rommel has reminded him constantly throughout his life.
“He said that I picked up a stick while the TV was on and I tried to copy what was on TV,” Pinili said. “From there, he gave me a plastic club, and he gave me real balls. He thought I was making good contact. From there, he gave me real metal clubs, and I was able to hit balls. There’s actually a video on YouTube that you can find of me hitting golf balls at the range when I was 2. From there, it’s been with me my whole entire life.”
Pinili said if there’s one area of his game that has evolved more than any other since he began high school, it’s performing when the stakes are the highest.
Brother Rice associate coach David Sass echoed those sentiments about Pinili’s enhanced ability to stay even-keeled mentally under pressure.
“He has a tendency to have such a high level of expectation for his game, that can kind of prohibit him from looking beyond a simple mistake,” he said. “He’s been really good about doing that lately. Golf is very hard, and it’s really about managing your mistakes. Perfection is basically unattainable in golf. If he stays patient, understands that, picks his spots on when to be aggressive, is aggressive in that moment, and then plays it smart during moments he shouldn’t be aggressive, I think he’s got an incredible chance to win this thing.”
One of the biggest competitors for Pinili this weekend could be someone in the same household.
Leandro Pinili, a sophomore, finished in a tie for ninth last year at the LPD2 Tournament, and definitely helps push Lorenzo to greater heights in the game.
“We share a lot of passion with the game together, and sometimes it gets a little too competitive just because he wants to beat me and I can’t let him beat me,” Lorenzo said. “It’s really nice having someone besides me who understands the side of golf that I understand. It’s also really fun being able to play with my brother and compete with him. I really love it, and that’s one of the biggest things I’m going to miss about Brother Rice golf.”
And no doubt, Brother Rice will definitely miss Lorenzo Pinili when he finishes his high school career on Saturday at a course he is looking forward to playing because it will require precise shots.
“I think it will separate the best from the rest of the pack,” he said. “You really can’t get away with anything out there.”
Keith Dunlap has served in Detroit-area sports media for more than two decades, including as a sportswriter at the Oakland Press from 2001-16 primarily covering high school sports but also college and professional teams. His bylines also have appeared in USA Today, the Washington Post, the Detroit Free Press, the Houston Chronicle and the Boston Globe. He served as the administrator for the Oakland Activities Association’s website from 2017-2020. Contact him at [email protected] with story ideas for Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties
PHOTOS (Top) Brother Rice's Lorenzo Pinili, right, tees off during the 2022 LP Division 1 Finals as Grand Rapids Christian's Adam Workman follows his shot. (Middle) The Warriors celebrate their second-straight team title, including Pinili (standing, third from left) and his younger brother Leandro (standing, fourth from right). Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)
Eagles Close with Round to Remember
June 15, 2013
By Dean Holzwarth
Special to Second Half
ALLENDALE – Grand Rapids Christian's Ken Bokhoven has been coaching boys golf for more than three decades.
But it wasn't until Saturday afternoon that the longtime coach had the opportunity to celebrate an MHSAA title.
The Eagles captured their first championship in program history with a six-shot win over Marshall in the Lower Peninsula Division 2 Final at The Meadows at Grand Valley State.
Grand Rapids Christian carded a two-day score of 636. It followed up Friday's 315 with a 321 in the final round.
Overall, combined with track and field, Bokhoven has been guiding athletes at the Grand Rapids-based private school for 51 years.
“He's coached for 51 years, and this is his first, so I can't imagine how he is feeling right now,” said Grand Rapids Christian junior Ben VanScoyk, who shot rounds of 75 and 78 to close at 153 and in a tie for fourth overall.
“It's definitely special, and we wanted to win for Coach with all he's been through. He's been through a lot in his life, and he's showed so much dedication to Christian High and athletics. It's special knowing that Coach can finally have something to lean on for golf and his first one.”
Bokhoven, who was doused with a water cooler after the round, tried to keep his team focused on the task at hand despite charging to a six-stroke lead after the first day.
“My pep talk consisted of, 'guys, go make some memories',” Bokhoven said. “I'm excited, and this is about as excited as I get. But in golf you have to stay relaxed and even-keel. It worked out well for us, and anytime you set a goal and you achieve that goal, it's rewarding. You feel like this is reaping the rewards of your efforts.”
The Eagles' previous top finish at an MHSAA Final was third in 2010. Bokhoven believed this year's team had the potential to make a serious run after winning a Regional title the week before.
“Five Regional champions come here, and I told the kids that we can compete,” Bokhoven said. “We came in thinking we could be in the hunt, and I told them after the first day on the way home that we're the hunted now. We are not in the hunt.”
Grand Rapids Christian's roster contained only one senior, Tom Voskuil. Five of its top six players will be back next season.
“Being a senior, I'm not going to lie, it's an emotional day for me,” Voskuil said. “Just because golf is a sport that is all about putting in the work, and I'm not playing in college so this is it for me.
“We didn't know if we had a chance coming into this tournament because some of the teams here were historically good, and we were surprised we were up by six after day one. We just had to hold on, and we were able to do that.”
Marshall shot 642 after rounds of 322 and 320. Juniors Aaron McCoy and Tanor Blowers each shot 159 to lead the team.
“We're disappointed, but I'm happy for Grand Rapids Christian because talking to their athletic director, he said it’s their first championship ever, so I know how that feels and that's good stuff,” Marshall coach Thomas Reynolds said. “I knew we had a shot at it, but this golf course is so hard. It was a nightmare, and we normally shoot around 310 to 320 as a team. Did they play to their potential? It's kind of hard to say with this golf course.”
Comstock Park junior Ryan Bayer, playing in his first MHSAA Final, overcame a triple-bogey en route to a stunning debut and an MHSAA individual title.
Bayer fired a 2-over 74 in the final round and defeated defending individual champion Nick Carlson of Hamilton by two strokes.
“It feels great, and I'm so happy,” said Bayer, who shot 75 Friday and finished at149. “I didn't even think about something like this, and I just wanted a couple solid rounds. I was nervous halfway through because I knew it was going to be close.
“I knew I would be up there, but I wasn't expecting to be all the way at the top.”
After the triple on the par-3, 17th-hole, Bayer rebounded to drain a 20-foot putt for par on No. 18. He capped his round with a 25-foot birdie putt on his final hole.
“I thought that was going to win it for me, but I ended up winning by two shots,” Bayer said. “It was like frosting on top of the cake. I played steady all day.”
Carlson shot a 4-over 76 Saturday for a 151 total. He won last year's individual title as a freshman at Katke Golf Course in Big Rapids.
“I had a shot, and a darn good one at that. I just needed to play a little better and have some different things happen,” Carlson said. “I didn't play to my potential, and I could've played a lot better. But coming out here and taking second trying to defend was pretty cool.”
PHOTOS: (Top) A Grand Rapids Christian player fires a shot during his team's round Saturday at The Meadows at Grand Valley State. (Middle) The Eagles pose with their first MHSAA team title trophy. (Click to see more at HighSchoolsSportsScene.com.)