Dakoda Dowd
Encyclopedia
Dakoda Flowie Dowd also known as "Koda", is an American
amateur
golfer. On April 27, 2006, 24 days after her 13th birthday, she became the youngest player to compete in an LPGA
tournament. This record was broken a year later when 12-year-old Alexis Thompson qualified for and played in the 2007 U.S. Women's Open.
, has won more than 185 junior trophies. In 2006, she was ranked number one among United States sixth graders. As of June 2008, Golfweek
ranked her 231st among all junior U.S. girls golfers.
In March 2006, Dowd received a sponsor's exemption to play in the inaugural LPGA Ginn Open after the CEO of Ginn Clubs & Resorts, Bobby Ginn, was made aware of a story in the The Tampa Tribune
about Kelly Jo Dowd, Dakoda's mother. Kelly Jo was fighting cancer and her dream was to see her daughter play in an LPGA event. Once the exemption was granted, Dakoda and Kelly Jo's story attracted considerable media attention and she was followed by a large gallery during the tournament. After a birdie at the first hole she went on to finish the first round with a 2-over par score of 74. She completed her first two rounds 12 strokes over par, missed the cut, and finished near the bottom, tied for 156th place out of 162 competitors.
In 2007, she attempted to qualify for the U.S. Women's Open but did not make it to the second round of qualifying.
in the fall of 2002. Kelly Jo underwent a double mastectomy
and chemotherapy
treatments. Doctors believed the cancer had gone into remission, but several years later, Kelly Jo was discovered to have metastatic cancer which had spread to her bones and liver. Dakoda scaled back her golf activities in order to spend more time with her mother, who doctors said could have only months to live. The Dowds were moved into a studio apartment
due to medical costs and the loss of Kelly Jo's income, despite fundraising efforts by Kelly Jo's former employer, Hooters
. Hooters also became active in the Susan G. Komen Foundation.
Kelly Jo died of cancer on May 24, 2007. She was named among the Top HOOTERS girls of all time in 2008 as part of the restaurant's chain 25th anniversary. Lorena Ochoa, the winner of the Ginn Open in 2008 was awarded the Kelly Jo Dowd trophy in her honor.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
amateur
Amateur
An amateur is generally considered a person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science, without pay and often without formal training....
golfer. On April 27, 2006, 24 days after her 13th birthday, she became the youngest player to compete in an LPGA
LPGA
The LPGA, in full the Ladies Professional Golf Association, is an American organization for female professional golfers. The organization, whose headquarters is in Daytona Beach, Florida, is best known for running the LPGA Tour, a series of weekly golf tournaments for elite female golfers from...
tournament. This record was broken a year later when 12-year-old Alexis Thompson qualified for and played in the 2007 U.S. Women's Open.
Career
Dowd, who lives in Palm Harbor, FloridaPalm Harbor, Florida
Palm Harbor is a census-designated place and an unincorporated community in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. As of the 2000 census, the CDP had a total population of 59,248.-Culture:...
, has won more than 185 junior trophies. In 2006, she was ranked number one among United States sixth graders. As of June 2008, Golfweek
Golfweek
Golfweek is a high-end weekly golfing magazine, published in the United States. The magazine was launched in 1975 but was purchased by Turnstile Publishing Company, based in Orlando, Florida, in 1990 and has since become its flagship publication out of the five magazines it publishes...
ranked her 231st among all junior U.S. girls golfers.
In March 2006, Dowd received a sponsor's exemption to play in the inaugural LPGA Ginn Open after the CEO of Ginn Clubs & Resorts, Bobby Ginn, was made aware of a story in the The Tampa Tribune
The Tampa Tribune
The Tampa Tribune, published in Tampa, Florida, is one of two major newspapers published in the Tampa Bay area, second in circulation and readership to the St. Petersburg Times. The paper's tagline is "Life...
about Kelly Jo Dowd, Dakoda's mother. Kelly Jo was fighting cancer and her dream was to see her daughter play in an LPGA event. Once the exemption was granted, Dakoda and Kelly Jo's story attracted considerable media attention and she was followed by a large gallery during the tournament. After a birdie at the first hole she went on to finish the first round with a 2-over par score of 74. She completed her first two rounds 12 strokes over par, missed the cut, and finished near the bottom, tied for 156th place out of 162 competitors.
In 2007, she attempted to qualify for the U.S. Women's Open but did not make it to the second round of qualifying.
Family
Dowd's mother, Kelly Jo, was diagnosed with breast cancerBreast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
in the fall of 2002. Kelly Jo underwent a double mastectomy
Mastectomy
Mastectomy is the medical term for the surgical removal of one or both breasts, partially or completely. Mastectomy is usually done to treat breast cancer; in some cases, women and some men believed to be at high risk of breast cancer have the operation prophylactically, that is, to prevent cancer...
and chemotherapy
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer with an antineoplastic drug or with a combination of such drugs into a standardized treatment regimen....
treatments. Doctors believed the cancer had gone into remission, but several years later, Kelly Jo was discovered to have metastatic cancer which had spread to her bones and liver. Dakoda scaled back her golf activities in order to spend more time with her mother, who doctors said could have only months to live. The Dowds were moved into a studio apartment
Studio apartment
A studio apartment, also known as a studio flat , efficiency apartment or bachelor/bachelorette style apartment, is a small apartment which combines living room, bedroom, and kitchen or kitchenette into a single room...
due to medical costs and the loss of Kelly Jo's income, despite fundraising efforts by Kelly Jo's former employer, Hooters
Hooters
Hooters is the trade name of two privately held American restaurant chains: Hooters of America, Incorporated, based in Atlanta, Georgia, and Hooters, Incorporated, based in Clearwater, Florida...
. Hooters also became active in the Susan G. Komen Foundation.
Kelly Jo died of cancer on May 24, 2007. She was named among the Top HOOTERS girls of all time in 2008 as part of the restaurant's chain 25th anniversary. Lorena Ochoa, the winner of the Ginn Open in 2008 was awarded the Kelly Jo Dowd trophy in her honor.