PO‘IPU — The 13-and-under Honu group, playing in the PGA Junior League, overcame the threat of rain, and playing one shy at the Po‘ipu Bay Golf Course to finish two points better than the Mano 13-and-under team. Participating golfers ranged from 8 to 11 years old.
Finishing with a 5.5 point total over the Honu’s 3.5 points, the tournament was coordinated by PGA Junior League Captain Thomas Hines in a two-man scramble, best-ball format over the course where golf great Tiger Woods and others played during the Grand Slam of Golf.
Team members in the Honu team include Anika Singh, Braxton Pilila‘au, Brooke Pilila‘au, Caleb Taba, Hendrix Brown and Sierra Sullenbarger.
Mano team members were Aussie Simpson, Colin Lee-Cavanagh, Grace McAnarney, Kailee Joseph, Nicholas Freestone and Pierson Fox.
“The Professional Golf Association Junior League exists to bring new golfers, friends and families together around the game of golf,” said Hines.
“By embracing the core values of PGA Junior League — safety, care and organization — the captains and coaches deliver amazing experiences that create far-reaching value for everyone involved.”
Among the gallery members were Mahina Anguay, Waimea High School principal, and her husband Leo Anguay, coach of the Waimea High School golf team, who helped support their grandchildren, Braxton and Brooke Pilila‘au.
“We have parents (and grandparents) as caddies for the kids,” Hines said. “It is just a great family environment that everyone enjoys.”
With the majority of the participating players hailing from Kalaheo and the South Shore, the program, enjoying its fourth tournament since starting, provides something of a solution to the long-standing complaint of not having the resources for golf on the Westside.
“We create a team environment no matter what your skill level is,” Hines said. “You are on the golf course immediately, learning how to play golf. Of course, there are golf instructions during league play.”
“I would say the PGA Junior League is an off-branch of the Kaua‘i Junior Golf Association. You do not have to be a member of KJGA to play in our league. But when you do sign up to join KJGA, they do offer a voucher to help pay for a registration fee to join the PGA Junior League.”
Hines said he plans on offering a PGA Junior League program during the summer.
