WAILUA — The Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation crowned a brother and sister the individual golf champions yesterday at the Wailua Golf Course. Cory Oride, 16, and Kelli, 14, of Kaua‘i High School won the two-round golf championships yesterday. Both went into
WAILUA — The Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation crowned a brother and sister the individual golf champions yesterday at the Wailua Golf Course.
Cory Oride, 16, and Kelli, 14, of Kaua‘i High School won the two-round golf championships yesterday. Both went into the final round ahead of the pack — Cory by 7 and Kelli by 10.
Cory went into yesterday’s round at 2-under 70 but got off to a rough start.
“From the beginning, things weren’t going so well,” he said. “I was really stressed out and, this week, I was pretty tired just from homework and everything. But I just tried to hang in there.”
He also said, though, that these last couple of weeks had been a high-point in Cory’s high school career. He’s shot his best golf (69 and 70) recently and he hoped to continue on that track.
With strong competitors ,Levi Miyashiro, Wiley Yoshioka and Cyrus Ogawa, playing in his group, Cory said he tried to tune them out and not be pressured by their good shots.
“I just tried to focus on my own game and my shots,” he said.
Cory shot a 78 and finished with a two-round total of 148. Miyashiro finished second with 72-83 for 155. Yoshioka finished 73-84 for 157 and Ogawa shot 81-78 for 159.
For Kelli, it’s her first KIF championship.
The freshman, Kelli, going for her first title, said she’d been looking for this final round all week. She shot even par at 73 yesterday for a three-shot lead over second-place finisher Gabby Saiki of Kapa‘a High School for the win.
The morning started off just right for her.
“I got a few birdies early and I wanted to keep it going,” she said.
But she fell into trouble at the sixth hole and got her first bogey of the day. She would go on to bogey only a few other holes and tried not to let that bother her.
“I try to stay in the present. Since golf is mainly a mental sport, I try not to think of that,” she said.
With her first-round score of 77, she finished at 150. Saiki finished 87-76 for 163, Rae-Lyn Morikawa shot 84-86 for 170 and Malisa Kagawa shot 95-107 for 202.
Both Cory were so happy with what they’ve accomplished, the fact that they were siblings celebrating title victories didn’t cross their minds.
“I think it’s cool,” Cory said. “I never really thought about (us being brother and sister), but now that I think about it, it’s pretty cool.”
Both now move on to next month’s state championship tournaments which will also be held at the Wailua Golf Course.
Joining Kelli for the girls tournament will be Saiki, Morikawa, Kagawa and Kristy Rapozo.
For the boys, along with Cory will be Miyashiro, Yoshioka, Ogawa, Taylor Bell, Kyle Furusho, Grant Paiste, Jordan Oda, Alan Koerte and Mitch Keep.
