Kono sets own path in hopes of achieving success on links

By Bill Kwon
Special to The Advertiser

At 14, Stephanie Kono is the youngest defending champion in the 54-year history of the Jennie K. Wilson Invitational and she is taking dead aim at winning the women's first major of the year again.

From left, Stephanie Kono, coach Kevin Ralbovsky, mother Lori and father Teruo. Rebecca Breyer • The Honolulu Advertiser

"Last year I was really determined to win the tournament," said the Punahou School eighth-grader. "Winning it started me on a really good year. I'm hoping to do the same again."

Kono, who ended 2003 by winning the the Hawai'i State Junior Golf Association's Tournament of Champions, captured the women's division of the Hawai'i State Open and the Hawai'i State Women's Golf Association Stroke Play Championship by a whopping 12 strokes to complete a career grand slam of the local women's majors. She had won the 2001 HSWGA Match Play Championship at the age of 11.

The demure, 5-foot-4, 125-pound teenager has certainly come a long way in golf after telling her parents, Teruo and Lori Kono, that she wanted to take up the game because she was "bored."

Even then at 6 years old, she was a very determined individual, according to her mom.

"I remember my first tournament in junior golf. I was last place. The next tournament, I was second from last. I was so happy," Kono said.

With her recent successes, it now takes a lot more, like winning, to make her happy.

Kono is well aware that Punahou ninth-grader Michelle Wie (the youngest winner of the Jennie K. at age 11 in 2001, but she didn't return to defend in 2002) is making national headlines playing in LPGA events, while she's making headlines in local tournaments. Kono doesn't mind.

"She's in the news all the time. She's done a lot of good things," Kono said.

"We both have the same goals —to be the best in the world. The way we're trying to get to the top is different. It's great what she's doing, but it's not what I would like to do. I'm happy with what I'm doing, I'm happy with my own progress."

If Wie is trying to ascend to the top at warp speed, Kono wants to take it one step at a time.

"Golf is a big part of my life. That's where my main goals are. But I enjoy doing things with my family and my classmates, and going shopping," Kono said. Even thoughts of college are a long way off, she added.

Unlike Wie, who is passing up high school golf, Kono can't wait to play for the Buffanblu girls' team when she becomes a freshman next year.

"I've been looking forward to it for a long time," said Kono, a student at Punahou since the fourth grade.

It was about then when she got really serious about the game, taking lessons from Kevin Ralbovsky, who's still her personal instructor and part-time caddie.

"Kevin's now like part of the family," said Teruo Kono, who retired after 20 years with All Nippon Airways and now runs a gift shop called Crescent Gallery in Kilohana Square.

Stephanie's mom recently got her realtor's license, but both parents always make it a point of at least one of them being in their daughter's gallery at tournaments.

It figures to be another hectic — and expensive — summer of traveling for the family.

Ranked 14th nationally among junior girls, Kono has been invited to play in an American Junior Golf Association tournament in Phoenix at the end of this month.

She also plans on trying to qualify for the Westfield PGA Championships, the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championships where Wie is the defending champion, the U.S. Girls Junior Championship, the U.S. Women's Amateur and also the U.S. Women's Open, which will hold its first sectional qualifying in Hawai'i at Ko Olina next month.

Interestingly, Wie is also entered in several of the USGA tournaments and it is in those events that the two Punahou standouts, who otherwise seem to exist in parallel universes, may finally face each other competitively.

They almost did last July in the U.S. Junior Girls but Kono, who shared medalist honors while qualifying for the event in Dallas, lost in the second round to Morgan Pressel, who then ousted Wie.

The thought of possibly playing Wie was definitely on her mind before the match with Pressel, Kono said.

"Just playing in big (national) tournaments against great players has definitely helped as a player," said Kono, who was particularly impressed by Pressel's short game in their match.

Kono, whose tee shots average 255 yards, thinks ball striking is the best part of her game.

"I also feel my short game's improved. I feel good about it, I've never been the best of putters, but now it's coming around," she said.

It all makes her the player to beat in this weekend's Jennie K.

Bill Kwon can be reached at bkwon@aloha.net.