Nino, Kono capture titles
By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer
The golf showdown between the classes of 2005 and 2008 at yesterday's Interscholastic League of Honolulu Championships was a draw.
ABOVE: Damien senior Kurt Nino rode his hot putting to a three-stroke victory over Kamehameha freshman TJ Kua. Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser
Damien senior Kurt Nino, who will defend his state high school championship in two weeks, won the boys title by three shots over Kamehameha Schools freshman TJ Kua.
TOP: Punahou freshman Stephanie Kono held off a late charge by Kamehameha senior Mari Chun to win by two strokes.
Nino began the final round a shot back after firing a 1-over-par 72 Monday at Oahu Country Club. He caught and passed Kua with an even-par 72 yesterday at Waialae Country Club.
Punahou freshman Stephanie Kono evened the score by outlasting Kamehameha senior Mari Chun to win the girls title by two shots. Kono closed with a 74 and Chun 76.
The twosome that has dominated ILH girls golf this season, and Hawai'i women's golf at various stages, started the day six shots ahead of the field after opening-round 73s. By the end of a hot, breezy 5-hour day they were at least 16-up, with Kamehameha's Kanoe Sakihama (86—165) finishing third.
Sakihama's top-three finish complemented a clutch playoff victory Monday that qualified her for next week's David S. Ishii Foundation Hawai'i State Girls Championship at Dunes at Maui Lani. With Sakihama, Alyssa Fukuoka and Chun, the Warriors will have a full team in the finals for the first time in Chun's high school career.
Chun was also hoping to go into state championships with a third ILH title. Kono put the kabash on that.
Punahou's second-most famous 15-year-old golfer — after Michelle Wie — led Chun by two at the turn after birdieing the par-5 ninth. The gap widened when Kono birdied the par-5 10th while Chun bogeyed.
Chun, the 2004 state women's match play and Junior World Champion, spent the final eight holes closing in.
She birdied the 11th, and her deficit dwindled to one when Kono, who has already won all three major Hawai'i women's championships and a State Open title, three-putted the next two holes.
"I felt like I was losing it with my putter," Kono said. "But on No. 14 I two-putted and felt confident after that."
Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser
Chun could have tied on the 17th, but her birdie try from 25 feet refused to fall.
Damien senior Kurt Nino studies a putt on the 16th hole at Waialae Country Club. The work paid off as he needed just 23 putts in his round.
"She left it about an inch short," Kono said.
"Less than an inch," Chun said, shaking her head.
Chun hit her approach 30 feet below the 18th hole. Kono's stopped 10 feet away. When Chun's birdie putt couldn't quite climb the hill, Kono had two putts to win. She needed just one, slamming the door and her birdie putt in.
"I was like, 'Oh my goodness,' good thing it caught the edge of the cup," Kono said. "Because she missed her putt, I didn't have to make the putt I kind of rammed in."
Nino took the boys lead for good by birdieing Nos. 9 and 10, both from 7 feet, then refused to falter.
Particularly on the greens, where the second-ranked student in Damien's senior class needed just 23 putts.
"He was draining everything," said Kua, who knows something about sinking putts. His uncle is pro golfer David Ishii.
A year ago, Nino lost a three-way playoff for the ILH championship, then won the state title in another playoff. From February, winning Damien's first ILH title has been on his mind
"From the first day of practice," Nino said, "I've been practicing to win."
NOTES
Moving up: Kurt Nino has accepted a golf scholarship from the University of San Francisco, while Mari Chun will play for Stanford.
Same but different: The boys played from the back tees at both courses while the girls played primarily from the middle tees, a difference of 300 yards at OCC and 600 at Waialae.
Reach Ann Miller at amiller@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8043.
