Isaiah Kanno spent Tuesday golfing at The Dunes at Maui Lani and enjoying time with longtime friend Peter Jung.
Kanno, a 2020 Waiakea graduate, and Jung, a Maryknoll graduate, finished second at a U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Sectional qualifier.
They carded a combined 1-under par 70 to finish as the first alternates. Maui residents and UH-Manoa golfers Justin Ngan and Justin Arcano fired a 4-under 67 to earn a spot in the championship finals in Washington on May 22-26, 2021.
“I played pretty solid on the front nine and not as well on the back nine,” Kanno said.
Kanno and Jung have known each other since the eighth grade through the Hawaii State Golfing Association.
It was the first time they played together. Jung texted Kanno, and they decided to challenge the 6,814-yard, par-71 layout in the 12 two-man field.
“Maui was nice,” Kanno said. “It was a little windy, but not too much.”
Jung, who signed with Washington State, won the ILH title in 2019. His partner is just as accomplished.
Kanno captured the BIIF title as a freshman and won the 57th annual Hawaii State Amateur Stroke Play Championship earlier this year.
His last tournament was last week at the Sony Open qualifier. He shot a 78 at the qualifier.
“I did all right. I played decently but had fun,” he said. “I could have done better. It was my first time.”
Jung shot a 79. He had prior success. He shot a 72 to qualify in 2019.
Kanno will see the two Justins again. He signed with UH, and the trio will be teammates. Kanno head up to Manoa in January, then he’ll prepare for the golf season.
At least, Kanno can return home stress-free. He took a COVID-19 test at Hilo Civic and tested negative.
“I could bypass the quarantine as soon as the results came in,” he said. “I took two tests before that. It wasn’t too bad.”
Teaming to finish 10th Tuesday were Hilo’s Shaun Downie and Anson Almeida, who carded a 78. Downie and Anson Arakaki won the four-ball qualifier last year at Waikele Country Club in Waipahu with a sizzling 63, but the 2020 championships were canceled because of coronavirus concerns.
