Hawaii Team’s Time Is Now
The rain was welcome respite to the 78 players who endured the three days of hot and humid weather that enveloped the Escondido Country Club course.
Hawaii captain Dennis Maedo, under a tent, felt the sudden wind whipping against his hat.
“This,” he said, “is like Hilo. Maybe it’s our time.”
His team of four had just won the 15th annual Girls Junior Americas Cup, providing respite to the junior golf associations throughout the west by defeating Southern California in the team-oriented tournament.
It ended Southern California’s string of four consecutive victories in the tournament, and it made Hawaii the first team from outside California to win the 18-team event.
With New Mexico’s third-place finish, it marked the first time in the tournament’s history that Northern California, Southern California or San Diego had not taken two of the top three positions. Southern California was the only team to break into the top five.
Everyone--except perhaps the Californians--rooted for Hawaii to maintain its seven-stroke lead after the second day.
The top three scorers for each team contributed to the daily scores, and Hawaii fashioned rounds of 229-230-231--690, defeating the Southern California Junior Golf Assn. by five strokes. They were followed by New Mexico (700), Washington (701) and Colorado (704). San Diego (710) finished sixth. Northern California (734) was 11th.
“It’s incredible,” New Mexico captain Bonnie Camacho said of Hawaii’s victory. “It means (California’s) not invincible. Every year we come to this tournament, we’re trying for third--we don’t even consider first or second place.”
Even Southern California captain Andree Martin acknowledged Wednesday’s outcome was good for her sport.
“I think that’s a strong showing for women’s junior golf on the whole,” Martin said. “The other states are improving.”
Hawaii was led by 16-year-old USGA champion Jamie Koizumi (227) and Megan Maedo, 17, (227), who tied for fourth individually. Christel Tomori, 17, shot 245, but it was 13-year-old Anna Umemura (240) who held Hawaii’s fate in her grip. The fourth player on the team ladder, she had contributing scores two of the three days--a total of nine strokes better than Tomori in those two rounds.
“Jamie and Megan, they’re the two steady ones who will shoot in the mid-70s,” Maedo said. “Anna and Christel, we depend on them to shoot well to get that third score. That’s where we picked up our points.
“You look at the caliber of girls here, and for us, it’s a matter of all four girls playing to their potential.”
The humid weather was similar to Hawaii’s, though not as hot. But the various captains agreed it took its toll on their teams, who are more used to dry heat. All but Maedo.
“Our kids never thought about (the weather) being a disadvantage,” Maedo said. “We had them put wet towels around their necks while they were walking, but they’re used to heat and humidity.”
Hawaii won despite a hard charge by San Clemente’s Eunice Choi, whose one-under-par 69 gave her medalist honors with a 222 total. New Mexico’s Brenna Cepelek (223) and second-round leader Heather Graff of Washington (225) followed.
Graff and Megan Maedo--playing in Choi’s threesome--agreed they had never seen such a dominating performance on a back nine. Choi, 17, had two birdies and a 38 on the front, then had four birdies on the back, with putts lipping out on two other holes and falling a foot short on two others. She hit the pin on a chip out of the bunker on 18.