Posted on: Thursday, July 8, 2004

Nakashima nets 8 birdies and junior title

Advertiser Staff

Wailuku's Kelly Nakashima collected eight birdies and the Callaway Hawai'i State Junior Girls Golf Championship yesterday while Allan Baab held on to defend his boys title.

Nakashima, a Baldwin graduate heading to University of Idaho, shot a career-low 68 at The Club at Hokuli'a in Kailua, Kona. She needed just 26 putts and eight fell for birdie, from between 2 and 20 feet.

"I got in a zone," Nakashima said. "I started with a double bogey, then birdied the next two to get it going."

Her 1-under-par 143 total was two better than Mari Chun, who closed with 69. First-round leader Kimberly Kim (77) tied for third with Xyra Suyetsugu (75) at 150.

Kim, 12, was playing with 15- to 18-year-olds in this tournament, which had a field of 70 juniors from Hawai'i and Guam.

Baab took a four-stroke lead into the final round. His 79 yesterday gave him a two-shot victory over Jacob Low (74) and Skip Murphy (75).

The second day of the tournament was also a qualifier for the national Independent Insurance Agent Classic, which is played later this month in Oklahoma. The "Big I" qualifiers are Nakashima and Kaua'i's TJ Kua, who shot 72 yesterday.

At the second round of the Rolex Tournament of Champions yesterday in Oregon, Hilo's Amanda Wilson remained in 26th place but Kane'ohe's Travis Toyama shot a second-round 82 to fall from fourth to 66th.

Wilson shot a 7-over-par 79. Her two-day total of 157 is 14 shots off the lead. Toyama, who shot a 69 Tuesday, didn't have a birdie yesterday and suffered two double bogeys. His 151 total is 11 behind the leader.