WAILUA — Keegan Loo fired a five-over par 77 to finish at the top of the Boys 13-14 division at the Junior Tour Series-Kaua‘i, Sunday at the Wailua Golf Course. Loo battled through the brisk winds to improve on his
WAILUA — Keegan Loo fired a five-over par 77 to finish at the top of the Boys 13-14 division at the Junior Tour Series-Kaua‘i, Sunday at the Wailua Golf Course.
Loo battled through the brisk winds to improve on his opening round 78 by a stroke to finish with a two-round total 155, three strokes ahead of Caleb Keohokapu (79-79-158) of Waimanalo, O‘ahu.
Bryden Salvador of Kilauea finished third with a 161 (80-81) followed by Kyle Supa (81-82-163), Sian Rogers (84-81-165), Kainalu Gandia (82-84-166) and Desmond Mello (86-81-167).
With the win, Loo was the only Kaua‘i Junior Golfer to lead a division in the field of five divisions.
Na‘ea Oda of Kapa‘a improved on his second round to finish with an 81, but fell three strokes off the pace to finish at 163 (82-81) below Zoey Akagi-Bustin of Wahiawa, O‘ahu whose powerful strokes held steady for a two-round 160 (80-80) in the Girls 13-14 division.
Keilyn Ing (84-87-171) and Samantha Keppel (103-94-197) rounded out that division.
Pono Yanagi of Hilo finished with a five-over par 77 to end with a 153 (76-77) to lead the Boys 7-10 division. He was followed by Marlon Bottorff (80-77-157) of Kihei, Maui, Taylor John McGerity (84-85-169) and Conan Rogers (110-105-215).
Milburn Ho of Honolulu is no stranger to the Wailua Golf Course, and held strong in the inconsistent winds, finishing with an 88 to end a stroke ahead of Allysha Mae Mateo of Mililani (81-93-174) with a two-day total of 173 (85-88). Reese Gusman of Wailuku, Maui, (105-96-201), and Sara Keppel of Honolulu (104-119-223) rounded out the Girls 7-10 division.
Shawn Lu of Honolulu ended tied with Cole Thomas Shintaku, also of Honolulu, both golfers shooting a second-round 80.
But Lu fired a one-over par 73 on the opening round to take the Boys 11-12 division with a two day total of 153 (73-80), just one stroke ahead of Shintaku who finished with a two-round total 154 (74-80).
Andrew Chin (77-81-158), Trevor Arashiro (81-83-164), Trevor Kua (80-85-165), Nathaniel Idica (85-82-167), Rilen Loo (82-88-170), Remington Hirano (87-84-171), Len Ryuta Yamada (86-86-172), Kane Rogers (91-82-173), Acey Yanagishita (96-90-186), and Manoa Duke Buckman (111-102-213) rounded out the division.
Joe Steranka, Chief Executive Officer of the Professional Golfers’ Association, was visiting Kaua‘i en route to speak at the Hawai‘i Golf Industry Conference and spent time greeting the Junior Golfers and distribute the division awards.
The 14 and Under Junior Tour Series was started four years ago to help prepare younger Hawai‘i State Junior Golf Association members for the HSJGA summer tournament schedule.
The next JTS tournament is scheduled for the Big Island at the Waimea Country Club, March 26-27 followed by the JTS Series at O‘ahu’s Mililani Golf Club, April 16-17. The final JTS Series will be played at the Pukalani Country Club on Maui, April 23-24.
