WAILUA — Team Kaua‘i finished Friday play trailing Team Atlanta 9-11, but a strong comeback Saturday brought the Kaua‘i-Atlanta Cup to Kaua‘i for the first time since the team challenge was established in 1998. “Team Atlanta has won all five
WAILUA — Team Kaua‘i finished Friday play trailing Team Atlanta 9-11, but a strong comeback Saturday brought the Kaua‘i-Atlanta Cup to Kaua‘i for the first time since the team challenge was established in 1998.
“Team Atlanta has won all five times the team challenge was played,” said Glenn Tamagawa of the Wailua Golf Course. “There were a few years when the tournament wasn’t held, and this year, the first time it’s resumed, Kaua‘i won.”
Kelli Oride was perfect for Kaua‘i, sweeping both days and finishing with 4 points under the Ryder scoring format.
Rae-Lyn Morikawa, Dusty Psailia and Malia Saiki were also strong for the Kaua‘i team Friday, each of the golfers taking both the front and back nines.
Shea Sylvester and Carson Willis were the leaders for Team Atlanta, each of the Georgia golfers sweeping the two-day series to finish with 4 points apiece.
But that could not help the Georgia team as Kaua‘i finished at 42.5 points over Team Atlanta’s 37.5 total.
Team Kaua‘i, coming from Friday’s outing against a stiff, steady wind, rebounded in the more amicable Saturday conditions as six golfers posted wins on both the front and back nine holes.
Joining Oride, Kaua‘i had support from Taylor Bell, Hoku Costa, Allen Koerte, Sean Mamaclay and Braeden Robley on Saturday’s final round.
Each of those golfers posted wins on the front and back nines.
Morikawa, who was perfect Friday, won the front nine Saturday to post a final 2.
Psailia, also perfect on Friday, came back to win the front nine, dropped the back nine, but won the 18-hole overall to post 3 points.
Saiki, also perfect on Friday, just missed the front nine, but captured the back nine and 18-overall to post an overall 3.5 points.
Team Atlanta got perfect rounds from Sylvester, Willis, Anthony Amodeo, Ryan Gambrell and Landry Haynes.
Brian Mamaclay, father of golfer Sean Mamaclay as well as designated photographer for the tournament, said, “The kids were really looking forward to this tournament. Now that it’s here, they’re looking forward to going to Georgia to play.”
During Friday’s round, the 20 golfers from each team were placed in foursomes resulting in 10 teams going through the Wailua Golf Course. For the boys, the foursome was further broken down so two golfers hit from the blue tees and two hit from the white tees.
“This is quite a production,” Tamagawa said. “There are so many volunteers doing things behind the scene to make this happen.”
Among those volunteers, Travis Shigeta, a KIF golfer, was one of the spotters for one of the groups on Friday as was Charlie King of King Auto Center.
“This is a good tournament,” Tamagawa said. “And Kaua‘i should be back strong since we only graduate two golfers.”
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
