Editor’s note: This is the first of three stories about the Kaua‘i Junior Golf Program, which is currently recruiting new golfers. This editorial will feature two individuals who have gone through the KJGA program, the second will be on a
Editor’s note: This is the first of three stories about the Kaua‘i Junior Golf Program, which is currently recruiting new golfers. This editorial will feature two individuals who have gone through the KJGA program, the second will be on a parents’ perspec-tive, and the third will bring it all together, by noting highlights of the program.
While wearing green and white during his high school career, Justin Thomas became one of the most cel-ebrated boy golfers to go through the Warrior program.
Under the tuteledge of then coach George Costa and current coach Mei Lin Poai, Thomas grew as a person and as a golfer with the help from the Kaua‘i Junior Golf Program.
“The friendships that I’ve made and the summer tournaments where I met a lot of great people were awesome,” Thomas said.
The 2002 Kapa‘a High School graduate considers Hawai‘i State and Kaua‘i Junior Golf president Mary Bea Porter-King as the most influen-tial person in his life, besides his par-ents, of course.
The Kapiolani Distance Learning student attended Northern Arizona University right out of high school.
He has also been involved with the PGA Grand Slam, ever since he first started up with the KJGA program.
“I caddied for caddies, raked bun-kers, I was a divot filler, it was just a great experience for me to be around some of the best golfers in the world,” Thomas said.
But at first, he was supposed to be a diamond in the rough as a baseball player, but after trying the game of golf, he was hooked and gave up baseball. “I like golf because of the great friendships that you develop, it’s always a new day, the next day, even if you had a bad round the day before, but there are lots of distractions,” Thomas said.
The Kaua‘i Junior Golf Pro-gram afforded him the chance to learn a lot about the game and life itself.
“It was almost like a tour life, the off-island competition was the hardest, but it showed me how to control myself in certain situations,” Thomas said.
His biggest accomplishment? Finishing seventh at the 2000 state high school tournament, after leading the first round. Thomas also took home a medal for his merits at the Kaua‘i La-goons Mokihana Golf Course.
His favorite golfer? The PGA’s David Duval because of the way he adapted his body and himself to the game.
But he’ll always remember former Kaua‘i High School golf-er Shawn Kyono’s hole-in-one at the 17th hole of the Wailua Golf Course!
“If I could do it again, I defi-nitely would, it’s a great pro-gram and I only benefited from it,” Thomas said.
Red Raider Jaime Matsumura also shared the same type of en-richment from the Kaua‘i Junior Golf Program.
The ‘04 UH-Manoa grad was on a golf scholarship and came away with a finance degree and is now a customer service representative at First Hawaiian Bank in Lihu‘e.
“My first year at UH, I was all-conference, but that was my best year because I concentrat-ed more on my grades after that season,” Matsumura said.
He started with the KJGA program at age seven and flourished from start to finish. You could probably say that the game of golf was in his genes.
“My mother is a good golfer, she and Mary Bea Porter-King both played at Arizona State to-gether,” Matsumura said.
Winning tournaments and meeting new people are the two components that Matsumura enjoyed most about the Kaua‘i Junior Golf Program.
“You have to have a lot of pa-tience, it’s a hard game to learn, so you have to take the time to practice as much as you can,” Matsumura said.
His biggest achievement is winning the state high school individual title in 1999, after fin-ishing second in both his sopho-more and junior seasons.
As a junior golfer though, Matsumura noted that he fin-ished seventh in the world dur-ing one of his best competitions.
His favorite golfer is Tiger Woods because he’s a nice guy and has a positive attitude, be-sides hitting the ball good.
Matsumura still plays golf recreationally and will always be apart of the KJGA program, and as much as he benefited from the program, the program will benefit from Matsumura and his unique skills and atti-tude. With its recruitment well underway, the Kaua‘i Junior Golf Program still has some spots open for anyone who is between the ages of 7-18 and not currently attending college. The membership deadline is February 11. If interested, call Lynn Netzer at 822-0074.
