Noah Otani
Noah Otani
Sport: golf
Of the four Hilo youngsters to qualify for the junior world golf championships Sunday, Otani posted the best score in relation to par, carding a 75 and 77 to finish 8-over at Wailua Municipal Golf Course on Kauai.
This will be the 10-year-old’s first trip to junior worlds, to be held at courses in and around San Diego, but Otani is familiar with mainland competition. Last year at Torrey Pines in San Diego, Otani – who fill be a fifth-grader at E. B. de Silva Elementary School in the fall – nearly qualified for the Drive, Chip & Putt Championship at Augusta, finishing as an alternate.
Honorable mention this week goes to the other qualifiers: Jake Otani (boys 7-8), Dysen Park (boys 11-12) and Isaiah Kanno (boys 13-14). Waiakea senior Shon Katahira also qualified, finishing 1-under, but he was ineligible, having already been honored in this space this year (March).
5 questions
Favorite song: “Grace Wins,” Matthew West
Favorite food: Sushi
Favorite sports role model: Rickie Fowler
What makes you happy: Playing golf with my family
Favorite cartoon character: Ironman
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