90-something trio still swinging at Senior Women’s Championship

Forty is an impressive number. Ninety is much more than twice as memorable, to say nothing of inspirational.

That explains why Elaine Lee, Michi Tani and Annette Kono were the unofficial winners at Monday’s 40th annual HSWGA Senior Women’s Championship at Leilehua.

The 90-something trio could have played in the first state women’s senior in 1979 because they were already 50. They didn’t, but they could have. Kono won the title in 1985, taking one away from Hawaii Golf Hall of Famer Hope Yee, who captured three of the first eight.

Kono, whose brother Billy Arakawa is also in the Hall of Fame, shot in the 100s this year, as did Lee and Tano. No one noticed.

“She,” Maydelle Alo said, pointing to Lee, “is the inspiration.”

The two played in the same flight, which in this Hawaii State Women’s Golf Association major is called “Championship.” You have to be at least 80 to play it and this year nine women made that cut line.

California, the country’s most populous state, only had 58 players in its 41st annual Senior Women’s Amateur Championship this year. Our most isolated state had about one-sixth of that number in 80-plus golfers alone. And that was way down from the record 17 80-somethings who played in 2011.

It must be something in the poi, or maybe the T-shirts.

Mira Jang, who owns the Maui T-Shirt Factory, roared to a three-peat as official overall champion. Jang just turned 60. Daughter Anna, the 2007 Hawaii State High School champion, has graduated from law school.

Mom shot 76 Monday to win by one over Yuko Abergas. Both played in D Flight, for those between the ages of 52-62 — or, as they were described Monday, “all our babies.”

They are old enough to be Kono’s kids. Her sons, Curtis and Wesley, are accomplished golfers. Curtis, greens superintendent at Oahu Country Club, is in Augusta, Ga., working on replanting all the fairways, which they do after every Masters.

His mom had two knee replacements and came back from each because golf is her exercise. Same with Cris Moku, who was second to Cathy Watanabe in B Flight (ages 68-73) Monday. Moku is playing three or four times a week again and was back on the course two months after her last knee surgery.

Lee goes out twice a week. She has been golfing 50 years, but didn’t enter this tournament until “the girls finally told me I had to be here.” She has never had a hole-in-one, but it is on her bucket list — “I should keep playing until then.”

She and Tani find putting the most difficult aspect of the game now, which is a little strange when you realize how big a part experience plays on the greens … and who has more experience?

It didn’t help that Lee forgot — “of all things” — her putter Monday. A competitor let her borrow one, which is why she plays.

“I’m still meeting new girls when I come and play,” she says, a bit surprised.

Tani moved from Japan to Texas in 1957. Her plane stopped for three hours in Honolulu to refuel and she took a taxi ride to “Waikiki and everything. I thought, ‘Gee, I’d like to retire here.’”

She did and the former 12-handicapper — “that was maybe around 1970” — now has a weekly game with the PCC Ladies at Pearl, and a date at state seniors every year.

Kimi Komatsu, who plays to a 24 handicap, won the championship flight with a 97. Rachel Uyeda took low-net honors at 69.

That was nine shots off the pace set by overall low net champion Kate Huntsinger, one of “the babies.” The 18-handicapper shot 78 at a Leilehua course known for its difficulty off the red tees.

That didn’t matter Monday, when golfers really were just happy to be out there.

“If you want to still be golfing at 95,” Jang said, “you have to keep up your health. Mentally, you don’t want to be too laid back. You should always be active. Do something.”

Why not golf?

Jang calls her three senior championships the highlight of her golf career, along with qualifying for the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur last week in the midst of Hurricane Olivia. Maui’s Lisa Judge and Hawaii’s Agnes Yamauchi will represent Hawaii at Vero Beach, Fla., next month.