Hawaii golfers are taking advantage of opportunities at the next level

Hawaii’s huge impact on the opening of the women’s collegiate golf season is rare and to be savored. So is all that surrounds it in the Hawaii State Junior Golf Association’s 20th year.

Wednesday, HSJGA graduate Mariel Galdiano fired a final-round 65 to beat Patty Tavatanakit by two shots and capture the Golfweek Conference Challenge in Colorado. The two are teammates for top-ranked UCLA, which set a school record for the second straight week, winning by 33 shots at 32 under.

It was Galdiano’s first collegiate victory, after winning three state high school championships at Punahou. The 65 was her collegiate low and she finished at 13-under 203. Galdiano helped the U.S. reclaim the Curtis Cup this summer after earning second-team All-America honors as a sophomore.

Malia Nam collected three OIA titles at Kaiser and made a seamless transition at last week’s Annika Intercollegiate. The USC freshman was second in her collegiate debut, losing to Tavatanakit’s eagle on the final hole. At 12 under, Nam’s score tied for second-best in school history.

Her teammates for the sixth-ranked Trojans include Punahou graduates Aiko Leong, who transferred from Brigham Young last season, and Allisen Corpuz, who prevented Galdiano from winning a record fourth state title when she beat her in a 2016 playoff.

Nam is one of 38 HSJGA graduates who moved on to college this fall. About 75 percent are playing collegiate golf.

Some are on athletic scholarships, a group that prominently includes two-time state champion Claire Choi and Naomi Wong, who join Chloe Wong at Santa Clara, and Kamie Hamada, now teammates with Zoey Akagi-Bustin at New Mexico. Allysha Mae Mateo joined Rose Huang at Brigham Young, where Huang is in her final year. Punahou sent Remington Hirano and Evan Kawai to San Diego.

But the graduates are also as diverse as the schools they chose.

George Fox (Kaitlyn Tonai, Nicolle Nitta) and Saint Martin’s (Katherine Swor, Jordan Terada) also have multiple HSJGA grads. Seattle (Rilen Loo), Puget Sound (Reynn Hoshide), UNLV (Ryan Chang) and Sacramento State (Miki Manta) attracted our golfers.

Not surprisingly, so did Hawaii Pacific (Ray Kim), Chaminade (Jonathan Morikawa) and Hawaii-Hilo (Noah Lau, Andrew Otani, Carli Shimokihara, Kaelyn Uchida).

Kona’s Matthew Rosato is in his second year at Pepperdine, where the tuition is $50,000-plus. The four-time state high school championship qualifier from Makua Lani Christian Academy isn’t playing for the Waves, but both years he has received HSJGA scholarships. It awarded more than $40,000 in scholarships and travel stipends to members and alumni this year.

His mom Amy calls the money “an incredible blessing.” She and husband Mike own Island Orchard Florist on Alii Drive. They have volunteered at HSJGA events since their son started at 9, and still do.

Matthew got offers to golf in college, but his interest in sports administration drew him to Malibu, Calif. Pepperdine has a partnership with AEG, which develops, manages and owns large sporting complexes all over the world.

“He is there for his brain,” Mike Rosato says. “It’s better than his golf.”

He “will always play and enjoy golf” his mom says. This year’s $5,500 scholarship is also enjoyed. Hilo’s Trevor Hirata received $4,000 and Keliiokalani Kamelamela-Dudoit, Loo, Samantha Nichols and Cole Shintaku each got $2,000.

“With the cost of college tuition these days scholarships are very important to everyone,” says HSJGA Executive Director Matt Rollins. “Average tuition for out-of-state residents attending public institutions is $25,000 a year, not including living costs and this would cover a good percentage of our graduates on an annual basis. We want to help our members and alumni as much as we possibly can in pursuit of their goals.”

The $120,000 that HSJGA grad Michelle Wie has raised through her annual “Wie Love Ping Pong” event is in an endowment fund, with the interest helping fund scholarships. She also sponsors the HSJGA’s year-end Tournament of Champions. Money also comes from the Thos Rohr, Pard &Betsy Erdman and HSJGA College Scholarship Funds.

“From the bottom of our hearts we are grateful to the HSJGA and the Big Island Junior Golf Association here,” Mike Rosato says. “They have been very, very lovely with Matthew and our family for over 10 years.”