Waiakea junior wins Jennie K.
By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer
LANIKAI — In its storied 54-year history, the Jennie K. Invitational has seen champions from age 11 to "pushing 60." LPGA pros have won and nearly every woman in the Hawai'i Golf Hall of Fame has a history with the tournament.
Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser
Until this year, the Jennie K. had never seen anyone like Amanda Wilson.
Amanda Wilson received "scoldings" from caddie Joe Phengsavath in the final round for being too conservative.
The Waiakea junior opened the tournament Friday by shooting a 6-under-par 66 to tie the women's course record at Mid-Pacific Country Club. Yesterday she shattered the tournament record, closing with a 73 for a total of 5-under 211.
The previous mark was 216, shot by Lori (Castillo) Planos in 1983, when she also opened with a 66. The course played to par-73 until 1998; Planos' three-day score was 3-under par.
That is where runner-up Stephanie Kono finished yesterday. A final-round 72 cut just a shot off the advantage Wilson opened with the final morning.
Kono's 213 total also scorched the previous record. It was 11 shots better than her score last year, when the then-seventh grader won by four. "I played pretty well this week," Kono said. "I played a lot better than last year. ... The 66 pushed both of us."
Kayla Morinaga, 16, had the final day's only sub-par round, navigating rain, wind and standing water for a 71. She took third, nine back of Wilson and seven behind Kono, who were in a world of their own.
Wilson's 66 launched them there. She drained eight birdie putts from six feet that day, draping nearly every approach shot all over the flag.
"The first day helped me a lot," Wilson said. "Everything was good that day."
The 66 put her four ahead of Kono. The defending champion cut it to three with a 71 on Saturday and pulled even when Wilson bogeyed the first three holes yesterday.
Stephanie Kono
After he'd seen her tentativeness for five holes, Joe Phengsavath, Wilson's caddy, let her have it.
"She was trying to protect her lead," said Phengsavath, a pro who hopes to qualify for the Asian tour later this year. "You can't do that. Stephanie is so straight, she never makes mistakes. I told Amanda, you've got to be aggressive. ... I had to give her some scoldings. I had to do what I had to do to wake her up."
Wilson took his wake-up call to heart and also found inspiration from her Big Island buddies up ahead. The Big Island Interscholastic Federation champion, who has never finished out of the top five at the state high school championship, rolled in birdies on Nos. 7, 8 and 10.
That put her two up and back in her comfort zone. Kono could never cut her deficit.
"I was trying to make birdie and it didn't happen," Kono said.
Instead, she had to settle for second, with what would have been a record any other year of this legendary tournament. She and Wilson played meticulous golf all weekend. Ultimately, they pushed each other into history.
"Amanda just hits it straight. Her driver is so boring," Phengsavath said. "She hit almost every fairway this week. That's the beauty of it. She may not have the length like Stephanie and them, but she's definitely straight.
"And her putting won it for her."
SHORT PUTTS: Pro Kevin Ralbovsky caddied for three of his students during the tournament and all finished in the top four. He carried the bag for Stephanie Kono yesterday and Mari Chun and Ayaka Kaneko before that. ... The average age of the top six finishers was 14 1/2.
Reach Ann Miller at amiller@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8043.
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Jennie K. Wilson Invitational
At Mid-Pacific Golf Club
Par 72, 5,715 yards
Final Round
- Amanda Wilson 66-72-73—211
- Stephanie Kono 70-71-72—213
- Kayla Morinaga 75-74-71—220
- Mari Chun 70-77-78—225
- Ayaka Kaneko 78-70-77—225
- Kimberly Kim 71-77-77—225
- Bobbi Kokx 74-76-76—226
- Kira-Ann Murashige 78-73-76—227
- Christine Kim 77-76-74—227
- Miki Ueoka 71-77-79—227
- Jennie Pleas 72-80-76—228
- Ha'aheo Manini-Hewlen 81-79-76—236
- Cyd Okino 84-76-83—243
- Mona Kim 77-83-87—247
- Jaclyn Hilea 78-83-88—249
- Marcie Rudich 85-81-83—249
A Flight
- Jung Sook Bae 78-86-85—249
- Susan Awaya 88-86-85—259
- Cheryl Grimm 79-91-89—259
- Diana Kobayashi 84-91-88—263
- Keiko Nakano 87-87-89—263
B Flight
- Liz Breza 87-91-83—261
- Hisako Obara 86-85-93—264
- Lynne Chow 86-87-92—265
- Dee Budzinsky 86-91-89—266
- Biac Frame 88-88-92—268
C Flight
- Incha Baughman 84-90-101—275
- Wendy Smith 94-94-90—278
- Diane Plotts 94-94-93—281
- Ann Wills 95-94-93—282
- Mimi Ishii 96-98-96—290
D Flight
- Nancy Naki 96-99-90—285
- Chong Prescott 91-98-98—287
- Johanna Kaai 98-101-93—292
- Frances Kirk 94-100-98—292
- Bobbi Femia 99-101-96—296
E Flight
- Lily Boulware 97-91-100—288
- Teruko Murakami 94-101-95—290
- Mona Parker 96-103-94—293
- Carol Shimmin 93-100-100—293
- Judy Wilks 96-102-101—299
