Toyama, Hirai to resume battle for ILH golf title

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

Kamehameha junior Mari Chun watches her drive sail down the 14th fairway at Ko Olina Golf Club. Chun shot even-par 72 yesterday to win the Interscholastic League of Honolulu championship by 14 strokes. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

Defending champ Travis Toyama of University High and Iolani's Lance Hirai will continue their sudden-death playoff at 4:30 p.m. today on the 10th tee at Waialae Country Club. The two seniors and Damien's Kurt Nino each ended yesterday's second round with two-day scores of 5-over-par 148, forcing a three-way playoff. (The first round was played at par-71 Oahu Country Club).

As the skies quickly turned from blue to gray, they hurried to the first tee and finished the 518-yard par-5 hole in near darkness. Nino's approach landed in a greenside bunker and his 12-foot par putt slid past the hole.

Toyama also found a sand trap on his approach but he made a nifty save to 12 feet, and his downhill birdie attempt lipped out. Hirai's uphill birdie putt from about 18 feet stopped about a yard short and he settled for par.

"When we reached the green, it was hard to see already," Hirai said. "On that last putt, I was just hoping it would go in. I was happy to get out of there."

Toyama, who entered the day with a two-stroke lead, could have ended it in daylight but he stumbled to a 5-over 41 in the back nine. He triple-bogeyed the par-5 No. 14 and bogeyed the 18th when his 3-foot putt lipped out.

"It just was not my day," said Toyama, who won the Manoa Cup as a 15-year-old in 2002. "I managed a par here and there on the front nine, but I wasn't striking the ball well. I'm a little tired because we're taking finals this week ... but that shouldn't be an excuse."

The ILH did crown a girls champion yesterday, and it was the same one as in 2002 — Kamehameha's Mari Chun. Unlike the boys competition, this one was settled early as Chun began the day with a five-stroke lead and cruised to an even-par 72 to win by 14 strokes over Kayla Morinaga of Sacred Hearts.

Chun's two-day score was 1-under 144. (The first round was played at par-73 Oahu Country Club). Chun won as a freshman but finished tied for sixth last year.

"I think I appreciate it more now," Chun said. "This year I worked really hard to better my game, and I set some goals. One of those goals was to win the ILH again and another was to 'beat the course,' like they say. I felt like I did both those things today."

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2456.