The Honolulu television stations had cameras there, all jockeying for footage of the best girls high school golfer in the state. Kaua’i’s Rachel Kyono obliged, stroking beautiful shots destined for the small screen. But despite her desire to do so,
The Honolulu television stations had cameras there, all jockeying for footage of the best girls high school golfer in the state.
Kaua’i’s Rachel Kyono obliged, stroking beautiful shots destined for the small screen.
But despite her desire to do so, Kyono didn’t get to see herself on television. She couldn’t keep her eyes open.
“I was too tired,” the Kaua’i High School senior said. “It had been a long day. So I missed myself on T.V.”
That was about all she missed last Saturday, May 12, at the Ka’anapali South Golf Course on Maui. In the final two rounds of her prep career, Kyono put on a show to win the 2001 David Ishii Girls Golf Championship.
The tournament, normally held on a Thursday and Friday, had to be compressed into a 36-hole Saturday because of April’s 20-day public school teachers’ strike.
“It wasn’t too windy over the first round,” Kyono said. “Then the winds picked up a little in the afternoon.
“And it was hot the whole time.”
Kyono fired a 1-over-par 72 for the first 18 holes, leaving her tied with Waiakea’s Kira-Ann Murishige. Others were at least three strokes behind.
“I tried not to put any extra pressure on myself, knowing we were tied,” Kyono said. “I didn’t want to make myself nervous.”
Her response to Murishige’s pressure was an even-par 71 – the only round of par or better shot during the tournament – and a cavernous eight-stroke gap between she and second-place finisher Leah Whiting of Waiakea.
“I didn’t even know I was the only girl to shoot par until I read it in the paper,” Kyono said.
Though admitting to a bit of nervousness before the tournament began, Kyono said she was calm once play began.
“My dad told me that I didn’t have anything to prove to anyone, and that I should just go out and play,” Kyono said. “That helped to settle me down. I just wanted to go out and have fun.”
And if proving herself the dominant prep golfer in the state happened to be a by-product of the “fun?”
“Well, I was really happy to win this,” Kyono said. “I guess it meant more to me than I let on before.
“So few players get to end their high school careers with a win. It’s just really special to me.”
It must have been important to Kyono’s parents as well. While competitors were allowed carts to zip from hole to hole, the Kyonos hoofed all 36 on foot in support of their daughter.
“They usually walk an 18-hole event with me,” Rachel said. “It was great to have them there supporting me Saturday. It meant a lot to me.”
As if the state title wasn’t enough, Kyono returned to Kaua’i Sunday and qualified for the Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship June 19-24 in Illinois. She finished second, along with Kaua’i teammate Lehua Wise, in the qualifier.
Then promptly withdrew.
“I don’t want to travel so much this summer,” Kyono said. “I’m going to try and qualify for some tournaments closer to home.”
This weekend, Kyono will try and defend her title in the Women’s Stroke Play at Mid-Pacific Golf Course on Oahu. Last week, Kyono cited her win in the event last year as the biggest of her career thus far.
Of course, now she’s got a prep title pining for that position.
