LIHU‘E — Wednesday was almost like it was in the 2000s as Kellie Pleas, newly announced general manager of the Puakea Golf Course, introduced Lehua Wise, a PGA of America Professional, and her LPGA friend Dewi Schreefel, a native of
LIHU‘E — Wednesday was almost like it was in the 2000s as Kellie Pleas, newly announced general manager of the Puakea Golf Course, introduced Lehua Wise, a PGA of America Professional, and her LPGA friend Dewi Schreefel, a native of The Netherlands.
Wise, a former Kaua‘i High School golfer, was home for a break and when she discovered Pleas’ return to the Puakea Golf Course, offered to do a clinic with Schreefel.
The free clinic attracted a handful of Kaua‘i Junior Golf Association members, but more women golfers as the two young professionals worked through various swings and offered tips on “How to take your game to the next level.”
“She (Wise) used to be on the Kaua‘i High School girls golf team and I used to be their coach,” Pleas said while introducing the Kaua‘i native who will be trying out for the LPGA European Tour in January. “We had a lot of fun.”
Wise, in her senior year, accepted a scholarship to New Mexico State University to play for the NCAA Division I women’s golf program.
At that time, Wise had been playing just five years, rising to the No. 2 player as a sophomore and the No. 1 player when she was a junior, finishing as the individualist runner-up in the state’s junior girls amateur championship.
During her tenure as an Aggie, Wise was a two-time Sun Belt Conference team selection and also earned two Western Athletic Conference all-Conference first team selections.
Graduating from New Mexico State in Golf Management, Wise turned pro in 2007 and in 2008, joined the Duramed FUTURES Tour, finishing 14th at the 2009 USI Championship.
From there, Wise catapaulted to a third plae finish in the Ladies Professional Golf Association Final Qualifying Tournament in 2009, according to the New Mexico State website.
“When my daughter and I went to see her, she was playing in the 2011 Southern California PGA Women’s Professional Championship,” Pleas said. “She won that tournament.”
Wise, now an assistant PGA Professional at Mesa Verde Country Club in Costa Mesa, California, entered the final round of that tournament played at The Grand Golf Club in San Diego, California, tied for the lead at 75 with Carol Hogan, PGA of Desert Island Golf & Country Club.
Wise shot a Championship best 73 during the final round, soaring to a three-shot lead while Hogan posted a 76, giving Wise her first Women’s Professional Championship, according to the SCPGA website.
Schreefel, a native of the Netherlands, said she was “discovered” by the USC coach during a tournament she was participating, that discovery being her ticket to America where she became the 2006 NCAA Individual champion.
Prior to becoming a Trojan, Schreefel won the Dutch Junior Championships four consecutive years (2001-2004) and was a three-time World Amateur participant. In 2004, in addition to the Dutch Junior Championship, Schreefel topped the Italian Women’s Amateur and the Dutch Match Play Championship, states the USC Trojans website.
At 14, she won her first of two consecutive national stroke play champion, the youngest golfer to earn that title in The Netherlands.
The two women professionals leave Saturday, Pleas said.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
