Kamehameha freshman Pono Yanagi saw the silver lining Wednesday in falling just short at the Hawaii State Junior Golf Association championships at Hokulia.
Kamehameha freshman Pono Yanagi saw the silver lining Wednesday in falling just short at the Hawaii State Junior Golf Association championships at Hokulia.
He lost the boys 13-14 title by one shot to Maui High sophomore Jordan Terada, after taking a three-stroke lead into the final round.
Terada finished with an 8-over 78-74—152 total, a hair better than Yanagi’s 75-78—153 total under humid conditions.
Yanagi had a pair of double bogeys on the 12th and 13th holes while Terada went par, par and birdie on the 14th to draw even, erasing a five-shot deficit.
From there, Terada had a bogey on the 16th while Yanagi bogeyed 15 and 17, and then tipped his hat to his Valley Isle foe.
“He was draining putts and I couldn’t put in the putts I needed,” Yanagi said. “My opponent played well.”
Terada has an experience edge over Yanagi. As a Saber freshman, Terada shot a two-day 169 total at the HHSAA state championships at the Waikoloa Kings’ Course.
That was 30 shots back of Punahou state champion Spencer Dunaway in May. In Terada’s return to the Big Island, he played much cleaner golf with no double bogeys.
Yanagi gained a bit of perspective from his pairing with Terada, pinpointing room for improvement.
“For me, I learned that I need to do more cardio. It was hilly and there was heat,” Yanagi said. “I was proud of my ball-striking. Today I caught a few shots flat, but overall I was grateful to place.”
Yanagi is next headed to the Junior World Golf Championships, slated July 14-18 in San Diego.
In the boys 15-18 division, Kamehameha senior Preston-Lee Ching and Waiakea junior Shon Katahira tied for 10th at 4-over 148.
Waiakea senior and BIIF champion Trevor Hirata was 13th at 150, and Makua Lani junior Matthew Rosato was 31st at 176.
Mid-Pacific junior Zackary Kaneshiro took the title with a 7-under 137 total, three shots ahead of Punahou senior Kyle Suppa.
In the girls 13-18 division, the Big Island’s best homegrown finish was by Shantel Antonio and Kaley Saludares, who tied for 15th at 23-over 167.
Antonio, a 2015 Kamehameha graduate, shot 87-90 while Saludares, a Waiakea sophomore and the BIIF champion, fired 83-84.
Waiakea sophomore Kaelyn Uchida was 22nd with a 92-92—184 total.
Kaiser sophomore Malia Nam won the title with a 1-over 73-72—145 total, showcasing the young talent in the state.
Mililani junior Mari Nishiura and Punahou senior Aiko Leong tied for second at 146, and Island Pacific junior Alanis Sakuma was fourth at 149.
Punahou senior Mariel Galdiano, who didn’t compete, is a heavy favorite to become the first four-time HHSAA state champion next year.
The last BIIF golfer to win the HHSAA state championship was Waiakea’s Christine Kim in 2005; for the boys it was Honokaa’s Sean Maekawa in 2007.
Maryknoll’s Allysha Mae Mateo (77-74–151) repeated in girls 13-14.