AROUND THE GREENS
Top Hawai'i junior golfers honored
By Bill Kwon
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| Britney Choy, left, and Travis Toyama were honored by the OJGA.
Advertiser library photos |
One such group is the O'ahu Junior Golf Association, which held its annual awards luncheon Sunday at the Honolulu Country Club.
Their top golfers were honored, including:
Travis Toyama, a University High senior who recently broke Tiger Woods' record with a 10-stroke victory in a national tournament in New Jersey and will be a member of the three-man Hawai'i team to the USGA State Amateur Championship later this month in Newton Center, Mass.
Britney Choy, a 14-year-old Moanalua High School sophomore who had played in the Girls' Junior America's Cup this summer and has been been invited with Toyama to the Polo Golf Junior Championships sponsored by the American Junior Golf Association at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., on Nov. 25-30.
Chase Chulakote, the reigning state amateur stroke play champion, who also won the O'ahu Interscholastic Association boys' title.
But junior golf is more than just about winning.
That's why what impressed me the most during the awards ceremony was a short thank-you speech by Chad Nahale, a Hawai'i Baptist Academy senior, one of 14 "graduates" from the OJGA because of a 17-year-old age limit.
"I've been in the OJGA for 3 1/2 years," Nahale said. "I never won a tournament, but I had a good time and a lot of fun."
Most of the youngsters join the OJGA program at the age of 7. But Nahale took up golf much later, said his father, Jeff.
"He played baseball and soccer. He didn't take golf seriously until about five years ago," Jeff said.
Better late than never because of the family's golfing background.
Chad's great grandfather, George Nahale Sr., won the Manoa Cup in 1955 and 1956. And he also was involved in another noted golf tradition, according to Don Nahale, Chad's grandfather, who also played tournament golf locally.
"My father was the first Manoa Cup champion to get thrown into the pool at the Oahu Country Club," Don Nahale said.
Three of the past four Manoa Cup winners — Kellen-Floyd Asao, Toyama and Randy Shibuya (in 2000) — came out of the OJGA program. Toyama became the tournament's youngest champion at age 15 when he won the 2002 Manoa Cup, emblematic of the state amateur match-play championship.
If the name Asao sounds familiar, it should be. The Asao 'ohana has been a big part of local golf in recent years.
Kellen-Floyd, a University of Hawai'i junior, won the Manoa Cup this year. Norman-Ganin, the 1997 state high school champion, also played for the UH golf team. They, along with sister Whitney-Reigh, who's attending Pacific University in Oregon, all were members of the OJGA.
No wonder their parents, Norman and Susan Asao, became very active volunteers in the OJGA more than 12 years ago. Even after their youngsters "graduated" from the program, they are still deeply involved.
An executive chef at the Honolulu Country Club, Asao has been the OJGA's president for the past seven years. Susan coordinated the recent awards program. They both hope other parents will step up and take over some of the duties.
"I don't want to just drop the ball now. I'm trying to find people to take over," Norman Asao said. But he realizes that with his HCC connections, he can still play a significant role for the OJGA. The board directors feel the same way, hoping he will continue to be involved.
There are a number of golf-course related junior programs on O'ahu, but the OJGA is the island's biggest association with 131 members. Hilo and Kaua'i also have strong junior programs.
Besides the recent performances in the Manoa Cup, OJGA players swept all four of the 2003 OIA and ILH individual titles — Chulakote (Kailua), Ayumi Hori (Moanalua), Toyama (University High) and Lindsay Hong (Punahou).
Andrew Kam, Mid-Pacific Institute (2003), couldn't be on hand to accept the annual $1,000 OJGA scholarship because he's already away in college at Nevada-Las Vegas in the school's professional golf management program. But his letter of thanks was read aloud.
"Being a junior golfer doesn't last forever," Kam wrote. "If there is one thing that I learned, most important in all my many years in the OJGA, it is simply to have fun and enjoy the game."
Bill Kwon can be reached at bkwon@aloha.net.
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O'ahu Junior Golf Association
2003 Awards Banquet
Major Awards
OJGA/ Takeo Okafuji Scholarship
Andrew Kam (2003 Mid-Pacific Institute graduate)
Criteria: Volunteer service, GPA, character, sportsmanship.
Rookie of the Year
Criteria: First-year member who exhibits a good attitude, sound skills and a love and enthusiasm for the game of golf.
7-8: Skye Inakoshi
9-10: Brandon Lee Julian
11-12: Alika Bell
13-14: Natalie Nakamine
15-17: Edward Hahn
Most Improved
Criteria: Returning OJGA member who has exhibited marked improvement in golf skills and competitive ability.
7-8: Alexandra Kaui
9-10: Christian Agosto
11-12: Tadd Fujikawa
13-14: Ryan Nagata
15-17: Melanie Lee
Junior's Choice Award
Criteria: Someone who exhibits a high sense of honor and integrity, has good work and play ethics, offers friendship and support to fellow players and has a love for the game and spirit of competition.
Boys
7-8: Joshua Roland DeFreitas Jr.
9-10: Christian Agosto
11-12: Tadd Fujikawa
13-14: Grant Narusawa
15-17: Daniel Zane
Girls
7-8: Alexandra Kaui
9-10: Hee Sue Condry
11-12: Caroline Ngo
13-14: Natalie Nakamine
15-17: Tiffany Takao
Player of the Year Award
Criteria (12-under): Points awarded for each tournament played, and placement. Player accumulating the most points during the season and being a member in good standing.
7-8: Joshua Roland Defreitas Jr.
9-10: Christian Agosto
11-12: Colton Knedler
Criteria (13-17): Based on scoring index information through the Pearl Junior Open. Must participate in at least five of first 11 stroke play tournaments and be in good standing.
Boys
13-14: Colin Imaoka
15-17: Arnold Sano
Girls
13-14: Natalie Nakamine
15-17: Randi Ono
2003 Outstanding Junior Volunteer
Ryan Hirata
Criteria: For many hours of unselfish volunteer work.
2003 OJGA Graduates
Gavin Sakamoto, David Yamasaki, Michael Yim, Kevin Tomisato, Lyle Kunioka, Andrew Llarenas, Melanie Lee, Christopher Souza, Ryan Casuga, Chad Nahale, Chase Chulakote, Jason Wong, Samuel Rodriguez III, Lindsay Hong.
