Asao beats Nino in finale, rolls to Manoa Cup win

By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer

Kellen-Floyd Asao found harmonic convergence in the 95th Manoa Cup.

Kellen-Floyd Asao, left, accepted the Manoa Cup trophy from Oahu Country Club president James Tam during the awards ceremony. Asao celebrated his 20th birthday by beating Kurt Nino in the final match. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

Nino, 15, was attempting to become the youngest champion in history. Instead, the Damien junior fell by the largest margin in 21 years despite his precocious game and game demeanor.

Nino reached the semifinals last year and played better this year, winning all his matches at least three holes early. Then he collided with Asao, in the final act of a riveting week-long performance.

"I think he chipped in every single round," said Kellen-Floyd's brother and caddy, Norman-Ganin, a finalist here three years ago. "It was like it was meant to be."

Momentum started early

Kellen-Floyd's week began with a double-eagle during Monday's qualifying round. In Friday's semifinals, he chipped in three times, including a stunning Phil Mickelson-like flop shot from a hazard.

Asao's barrage of chip-ins and laser-like putts across Oahu Country Club's slick and sloping greens finally wore Nino down yesterday afternoon, in front of a gallery of about 50. Asao went to lunch after the first 18 holes with a 1-up lead, then made a meal of Nino.

Asao played the final 11 holes in 7-under par. He needed but nine putts on the final eight holes, including the two-putt birdie on the 23rd (par-4 No. 5) and chip-in eagle on the 28th (par-4 10th).

"That rocked my world," Nino said.

Asao's radically breaking 14-footer for birdie on the next hole closed it out.

"He just started making everything and I started missing everything," Nino said. "That's not a good combination. ... He played an A-plus-plus game."

Nino traced the beginning of the end to Asao's two-putt birdie on the second hole in the afternoon, which took him back to a 3-up lead. Asao traced it to a week of walking OCC's steep hills with his brother and eventually making peace with its treacherous greens.

"Today it kind of clicked," he said. "I felt great over the ball. ... I made everything I could make."

Brother carried his bag

Asao only trailed after the first hole yesterday. He won the first two afternoon holes to put the pressure back on Nino, where it would stay. Asao never allowed his sore back to affect his swing and never gave Nino another chance.

Two years ago, playing in his first Manoa Cup and just days after graduating from Hawai'i Baptist Academy, Asao reached the final only to lose to Ryan Koshi. He learned an immense amount.

Asao, admittedly "petrified" of playing Koshi, found success yesterday by "gunning for all the pins" and putts. Fear was forgotten.

He received a huge assist from family. Norman-Ganin's help was most apparent. All he said was "Just hit the ball," Kellen-Floyd joked, but his offer to caddy after a first-round loss touched his brother.

"I really wanted him to win it because it might be his last Manoa Cup, he's probably going to turn pro," Kellen-Floyd said. "He graciously stepped up and asked to caddy ... I would have a hard time doing that, getting back on the course."

Winner sets more goals

The Asao 'ohana has deep ties to Hawai'i golf. Father Norman runs the O'ahu Junior Golf Association. Norman-Ganin won the 1997 state high school championship and went on to play for the University of Hawai'i, where Kellen-Floyd will be a junior in the fall. Sister Whitney-Reigh used to play for Pacific in Oregon.

Mother Susan was the only Asao to stay dry yesterday. She watched from the lanai, leaning on crutches after suffering a leg injury in a fall at OCC earlier in the week, while Norman and Kellen-Floyd's siblings were included in the traditional champion's pool-dunking.

The winner's next goal is to win a college tournament.

"This year my goal was a Top-10 finish," Kellen-Floyd said. "I got that, but I think it was kind of bad because the rest of the season I was kind of slacking off. Next year, every tournament, I want to perform my best — play with my whole heart. One tournament, everything will click."

Again.

SHORT PUTTS: A half-hour Manoa Cup highlight show will be broadcast June 16, at 9 p.m., on KFVE. It will be repeated June 22 at noon. It is 808golf.com's first TV show and is presented by Turtle Bay Resort.