KUKUI GROVE — T.J. Kua, whose parents live right across the highway from the Puakea Golf Course, was modest in his homecoming. Kua and the University of Hawai‘i men’s golf team in conjunction with the Puakea Golf Course and Grove
KUKUI GROVE — T.J. Kua, whose parents live right across the highway from the Puakea Golf Course, was modest in his homecoming.
Kua and the University of Hawai‘i men’s golf team in conjunction with the Puakea Golf Course and Grove Farm are hosting a three-day tournament which tees off starting at 8 a.m. today.
Arriving early, Kua had his fellow Hawai‘i golfers over at his parents’ home before making it over for a practice round and a pre-tournament golf clinic yesterday.
Ron Castillo Jr., the teaching professional at Puakea Golf Course, told the college coaches, “We have some of the finest golfers on the island here (for the clinic). You have a chance now to make your pitch on why they should play for your team.”
Seated in the audience were the brother-sister team of Cory and Kelli Oride who enjoyed success during a summer golf tour, Kelli’s most recent achievement coming last week when she won the Kiahuna Junior Classic Girls 13-18.
Coaches Randall McCracken of Utah, Kevin Burton of Boise State and Ronn Miyashiro of Hawai‘i agreed that one of the things prospective players hoping to play for a college need to look at is academics.
“You could be the best golfer on the team, but if you cannot make the grades in school, you won’t play,” said Burton.
All three coaches agreed that beyond academics, recruiters look at attitude both on and off the course and skill level, McCracken suggesting that players look at themselves honestly and seeing at which level they could fit in.
Miyashiro said personally, when Hawai‘i recruits, they look for players that are better than what they have on the team in order to keep growing.
He added that when he recruits local, the golfers represent not only themselves, but the school, and more importantly, the state and everything that makes Hawai‘i a unique place.
Three freshmen this season — Jared Sawada of Mililani, Kua from Kaua‘i and Pono Calip of the Big Island — are part of the team which will tee off this morning.
According to a press release from the Hawai‘i athletic department, Kua is the most heralded of the trio, being a four-time Interscholastic League of Honolulu champion out of Kamehameha Schools-Kapalama. As a junior, Kua finished second at the state tournament and helped the team capture the championship.
Sawada, a graduate of Mililani, was the four-time O‘ahu Interscholastic Federation Association golfer of the year and also won a local qualifier to advance to the 2008 U.S. Public Links.
Calip is a 2008 graduate of Kamehameha Schools-Hawai‘i, placing third at the state tournament as a junior.
Schools participating in the tournament include Hawai‘i, Boise State, Drake, Gonzaga, Loyola Marymount, James Madison, Louisiana Tech, Osaka Gakuin, San Diege, San Francisco, San Jose State, UC Riverside, Utah and Weber State.
“There’s going to be a lot of good golf out there,” Castillo said. “And the best part is it’s free to watch.”
