Toyama, Hong win ILH golf titles
Advertiser Staff
Reigning Manoa Cup champion Travis Toyama, a junior at University High School, added the Interscholastic League of Honolulu title to his trophy case yesterday by shooting a 2-under 70 at Makaha West to win the two-day tournament by six strokes over Kamehameha's Chris Souza and Saint Louis' Walter Ching.
Toyama shot a 2-under 69 in Monday's first round at O'ahu Country Club. About 10 months ago at OCC, Toyama became the youngest ever Manoa Cup champion at the age of 15.
"There was not as much pressure as the Manoa Cup, so I guess that made it easier," Toyama said. "But it still feels good, because the competition in the ILH is very tough."
Toyama entered the second round tied for the lead with Souza and Punahou's Lenn Akamine. He struggled early but found his rhythm on the seventh hole and birdied the par-3 ninth to go out at 1-over 37.
"I started out kinda rough," Toyama said. "I was 2-over after the first four holes. But then I started to find my swing and found the fairways and greens."
He started the back nine tied with Ching, Akamine and Mid-Pacific's Troy Higashiyama and up by one stroke over Souza. Toyama then birdied 10 and 11 to take a lead he would not relinquish.
He came in at 3-under 33.
"My game at that point was just (aim for) fairways and greens," Toyama said. "I wanted to make them have to make the birdies to try to catch me. It was pretty windy out there, but I think that helped me, too, because I can adjust in the wind."
Souza (76-145) finished tied for second with Ching (75), followed by Akamine (78-147) and MPI's Reyn Tanaka (75-147). Higashiyama (77-148) finished sixth. Toyama missed the cut as a freshman and took fourth as a sophomore.
In the girls competition, Punahou junior Lindsey Hong shot an even-par 72 to win by three strokes after finishing second two years in a row. She shot a 74 in Monday's first round at OCC.
Hong lost on the second playoff hole as a freshman and came up one stroke short last season.
Iolani's Stacie Nishimoto (76-149) finished second, followed by St. Andrew's Rak-Kyung Oh (78-150), Sacred Hearts' Kayla Morinaga (79-153) and Kamehameha's Wendee Augustiro (78-154).
Kamehameha sophomore Mari Chun, the defending champion, finished tied for sixth at 80-156.
At Makaha West
(first round played Monday at O'ahu Country Club)
Par 72
Boys Varsity
Travis Toyama (University High) 69-70—139
Chris Souza (Kamehameha) 69-76—145
Walter Ching (Saint Louis) 70-75—145
Reyn Tanaka (Mid-Pacific) 72-75—147
Lenn Akamine (Punahou) 69-78—147
Troy Higashiyama (Mid-Pacific) 71-77—148
Casey Kobashigawa (Iolani) 78-71—149
Jon Ozaki (Mid-Pacific) 76-79—155
Clinton Zane(Kamehameha) 77-78—155
Spencer Shishido (Iolani) 75-80—155
David Yamasaki (Maryknoll) 72-83—155
Pomaikai Shishido (Iolani) 73-83—157
Kurt Nino (Damien) 78-82—160
Chad Nahale (Hawai'i Baptist) 79-82—161
Cody Kim (Hawai'i Baptist) 74-88—162
Brandon Isobe (Punahou) 79-84—163
Brandon Nahale (Hawai'i Baptist) 76-87—163
Lance Hirai (Iolani) 79-86—165
Daniel Sugai (University) 79-87—166
Edward Han (Maryknoll) 76-90—166
Girls Varsity
Lindsay Hong (Punahou) 74-72—146
Stacie Nishimoto (Iolani) 73-76—149
Rak-Kyung Oh (St. Andrew's) 72-78—150
Kayla Morinaga (Sacred Hearts) 74-79—153
Wendee Augustiro (Kamehameha) 76-78—154
Miya Argent (Sacred Hearts) 77-79—156
Mari Chun (Kamehameha) 76-80—156
Jenna Seki (Punahou) 77-80—157
