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The Honolulu Advertiser

Updated at 10:15 p.m., Sunday, November 19, 2006

Eubank, Okino win Hawaii State Open golf titles

By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer

Tom Eubank came charging out of the pack on the back to prevent a keiki sweep at the Hawai'i State Open yesterday at Hawaii Prince Golf Club.

Eubank birdied three of the last four holes for a final-round 69. That gave him his second Open championship in four years, with a three-day total of 6-under-par-210. He was three shots better than Chad Fribley and David Ishii.

Eubank gladly gives up his age as 47, or "another year closer to the senior tour." That made his win a stark contrast to what occurred in the women's flight.

Cyd Okino, 16 days from her 13th birthday, became the youngest female champion in tournament history. She closed a dominant performance with a 1-over-par 74. Her 220 total was 10 better than Kristina Merkle, who won this year's Jennie K. at age 14. Wailuku's Kyung Kim, another 12-year-old, was third.

Okino is two months younger than Michelle Wie was when she won, along with Eubank, in 2002. Wie also won with a double-digit advantage. Her 8-under 208 still stands as the women's record.