Every round is relative to a golfer’s expectations.
Kevin Yamashita’s 2-under 70 on Sunday at Hualalai?
Not good enough. Not on the Kealakehe junior’s home course.
“He wasn’t happy with the way he played today. He made five birdies but definitely left a few more on the putting green,” Waveriders coach Justin Lee said. “Also, the three bogeys prevented him from reaching his mid 60s goal.”
Still, Lee will take a three-stroke lead to the final round of the BIIF championships, which shift to Mauna Kea on Tuesday, after pulling away from Waiakea junior Dysen Park on the back nine Sunday. Down by a stroke at 2-under, Yamashita took the lead with a birdie on the par-3 12, a hole in which Park took his first bogey. Park double-bogeyed the next hole, and Yamashita added to his lead with a birdie on 18.
Waiakea’s Noah Otani was another shot back after carding a 74, though Warriors girls coach Bobby Perreira said Otani lost a stroke when a penalty was assessed to his group for slow play. Otani got to 1-under with a birdie on No. 12, but he bogeyed 15 and took a double bogey on 16. Makua Lani’s Caleb Makoff eagled the par-5 fourth hole and shot 76 and was tied with Waiakea’s Ryder Ng.
The final round could be a different animal, Lee said.
“You never want to underestimate Mauna Kea,” he said. “The course normally plays very difficult, depending on the wind conditions and pin placements it can overwhelm even the most experienced player.”
In the girls tournament, Waiakea’s Elle Otani will take to Mauna Kea with a one-shot lead over Kiersten Saludares, her fellow senior teammate and friend. Otani had a “makeable” birdie put on No. 18, Perreira said, that lipped out, and she settled for a 76.
That putt not withstanding, Otani was strong on the greens in the first round.
“Twenty-eight putts, 14 on the front, 14 on the back, that’s exceptional,” Perreira said.
Saludares took 33 shots on the greens, three-putting twice, including on the par-5 No. 7, which she made par on.
Otani and Saludares were tied for the lead at the turn at 3-over along with Hawaii Prep’s Isabella Rodriguez, who lost four strokes on Nos. 11-13 and carded a 79 to make the final threesome. The two Waiakea golfers went back and forth with the lead until Saludares bogeyed 16 and 18.
Perreira expects a fun duel Tuesday.
“Elle an Kiersten are striking the ball well,” Perreira said. “They are going to have their misses here and there, approaches to the green, but they don’t get in trouble. It’s just a matter of whose putter is hotter.
“They are going to push each other.”
First round
Sunday at Hualalai
Par 72
Qualifiers for final round
Boys
*won four-hole playoff to qualify
Kevin Yamashita, Kealakehe 70
Dysen Park, Waiakea 73
Ryder Ng, Waiakea 74
Calen Makoff, Makua Lani 76
Ryder Ng, Waiakea 76
Darrell Ramos Jr, Hilo 85
Xander Broderson, Kealakehe 89
Kolton McCallum, Waiakea 91
Kaiden Ambrosio, Hilo 94
Lucas Yamanaka, Waiakea 97
Aidan Puleo, Hilo 98
Tristin Laflamme, Kealakehe 98
Adam Perry, Kamehameha 100
Jaxyn Hasegawa, Hilo 101
Luke Kellikuli, Kamehameha 103
Reyn Kaneshiro, Hilo 103
Kawika Peterson, Hilo 104
*Michael Perry, Kamehameha 107
Girls
Elle Otani, Waiakea 76
Kierstyn Saludares, Waiakea 77
Isabelle Rodriguez, Hawaii Prep 79
Ella Forest, Hawaii Prep, 93
Mika Holi, Hilo 97
Selena Yoo, Hawaii Prep 98
Adrianna Volpe, Kamehameha 102
Christina Jung, Hilo 110
Leiah Kang, Waiakea 117