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A year in Hawaii golf that began with little Zach Johnson taming massive Kapalua Plantation ended with precocious Pearl City kid Mariel Galdiano capturing one of the major national women’s invitationals.
In between, the U.S. Golf Association made a big move to shorten the game. In its 120th year, pace of play was again a major topic, the Play 9 campaign was officially introduced with Rickie Fowler lending his support and Tee It Forward pushed onward.
Johnson will defend his Hyundai Tournament of Champions title next week (Jan. 9-12) on Maui. The field of approximately 30 of last year’s champions also includes Sony Open in Hawaii winner Jimmy Walker, Chris Kirk, Hideki Matsuyama and Matt Kuchar.
Those four and Johnson, who won the 2009 Sony, will all play at Waialae Country Club the following week (Jan. 15-18).
Galdiano, a Punahou junior, will go after her third state high school championship in 2015. She blew an elite field away at this week’s 44th annual Joanne Winter Arizona Silver Belle Championship, winning by seven shots Tuesday.
"This has to be the best I have shot in a major event," said Galdiano, whose 16-under-par 200 beat the tournament record by two. "Conditions were great; nice and cool and no wind."
Galdiano was among five Hawaii players at the invitational, which brings together many of the best female golfers in the country between the ages of 13 and 23. She hung out with Allisen Corpuz, Aiko Leong, Zoey Akagi-Bustin and Kacie Komoto.
"It was just great," Galdiano said, "to not be the only girl from Hawaii at a mainland tournament."
The USGA’s emphasis on the time golf takes has grown exponentially the last few years. Along with exhaustive analysis of pace of play, the push for nine-hole rounds and shortened courses is growing.
Wailea Old Blue is putting a 1,617-yard nine-hole executive course into play this month. Wailea’s oldest course has a new clubhouse at the site of its original clubhouse. The new hole configuration includes the par-31 course on the front nine.
"Everyone is thinking now that people don’t have time to play 18 holes," head pro Brenda Rego said. "Being a resort, we thought adding that to our golf course would increase play. People on vacation don’t have time for 18 holes and families want to come out."
2014 WINNERS
JANUARY
Hyundai Tournament of Champions: Zach Johnson
Sony Open in Hawaii: Jimmy Walker
Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai: Bernhard Langer
FEBRUARY
24th annual Ameri Ari Intercollegiate: Oklahoma State and Jordan Niebrugge (Oklahoma State)
UH-Manoa John A. Burns Intercollegiate: California and Justin Keiley (BYU)
Seventh HSGA Four Ball: Kyosuke Hara and Shawn Lu
MARCH
Donnis Thompson Invitational: Mississippi State and Ines Lescudier (Kennesaw State)
Hawaii State Amateur Stroke Play Championship: Kyle Suppa (Raymond Tendo, seniors)
Army Women’s Invitational: Brittany Fan
Anuenue Spring Break Classic: Pepperdine and Grace Na (Pepperdine)
Aloha @ Oahu Tournament: University of Hawaii and Ryan Kuroiwa (UH)
APRIL
Big Island Candies Team Championship: David Braxton and Kirk Nelson
LPGA Lotte Championship: Michelle Wie
PacWest Men’s Championship: UH-Hilo and co-medalists Kenny You (Dixie State) and Mark Milton (Dominican)
PacWest Women’s Championship: UH-Hilo and Kristen Sawada (UH-Hilo)
56th Mid-Pacific Open: Nick Mason (Kyle Suppa, low amateur)
BIIF Championships: Andi Igawa (Waiakea) and Trevor Hirata (Waiakea)
OIA Championships: Mililani and Iris Kawada (Castle), Moanalua and Brent Grant (Moanalua)
David S. Ishii Foundation Hawaii State Girls High School Championship: Punahou and Mariel Galdiano (Punahou)
David S. Ishii Foundation Hawaii State Boys High School Championship: Punahou and John Oda (Moanalua)
MAY
63rd Francis Brown Four Ball: Kyle Suppa and Kyosuke Hara
Aloha Section PGA Assistants Four-Ball Championship: Todd Rego and Kevin Shimomura
U.S. Women’s Open sectional qualifier: Xyra Suyetsugu
64th Jennie K. Wilson Invitational: Mariel Galdiano
Callaway Junior World Qualifier: 7-8—Yoyo Xia (boys) and Mira Kubo (girls); 9-10—Go Nakatsukasa, Joshua Hayashida, Joshua Chung, Dysen Park and Jason Kurizaki (boys) and Minny Byun, Kiersten Saludares, Elle Otani and Kailey Oki (girls); 11-12—Taylor John McGerity, Jacob Torres, Kelly Chinn and Kona Kashiwagi (boys) and Jennifer Koga, Lana Calibuso-Kwee, Millburn Ho and Kaylee Akagi (girls); 13-14—Evan Kawai, Andrew Otani and Ray Kim (boys) and Malia Nam, Miki Manta, Allysha Mae Mateo and Lorraine Char (girls); 15-17—Justin Williamson, Shawn Lu and Kyle Suppa (boys) and Rose Huang, Tuan Yu Chiang, Annika Espino and Mari Nishiura (girls).
JUNE
Adams Junior qualifier (medalists): 15-17—Zoey Akagi-Bustin and Kyosuke Hara; 13-14—Malia Nam and Evan Kawai; 11-12—Jennifer Koga and Taylor John McGerity; 7-10—Kyra Tomita.
Optimist Junior qualifier (medalists): 15-18 Girls—Kirsten Ishikawa; 16-18 Boys—Kyosuke Hara; 14-15 Boys—Remington Hirano; 13-14 Girls—Lorraine Char and Malia Nam; 12-13 Boys—AJ Kioki Teraoka; 10-12 Girls—Lana Calibuso-Kwee; 10-11 Boys—Jacob Kiyoshi Torres and Go Nakatsukasa.
Aloha Section PGA Junior Championship (medalists): 13-17—Rose Huang and Ariel Elftman-Hanson; 11-12—Kolbe Irei and Milburn Ho; 7-10—Minny Byun and Dillion Jonke.
U.S. Amateur Public Links qualifiers: Donny Hopoi, John Oda, Jameson Keiley, Dalen Yamauchi, Clayton Amura and Brett Furutani
Big “I” qualifier: Rose Huang and Kyle Suppa
U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links qualifiers: Alice Kim, Mariel Galdiano, Cyd Okino, Rose Huang, Kaci Masuda, Aneka Seumanutafa, Nani Yanagi, Cyd Okino, Eimi Koga
106th Manoa Cup: Nainoa Calip
HSJGA King Auto Group 12-under State Junior Championship: 11-12—Jennifer Koga and Taylor John McGerity; 7-10—Minny Byun and Go Nakatsukasa.
U.S. Senior Open qualifier: Doug Williams
U.S. Junior Amateur qualifier: Zackary Kaneshiro and Kyle Suppa
U.S. Girls Junior Amateur qualifier: Rose Huang, Malia Nam, Allisen Corpuz and Alanis Sakuma.
U.S. Women’s Open: Michelle Wie
Dave & Buster’s Jr. Classic: 15-18—Rose Huang and Tyler Munetake; 13-14—Allysha Mae Mateo and Evan Kawai.
JULY
HSJGA King Auto 13-18 State Junior Championship: 15-18—Rose Huang and Shawn Lu; 13-14—Allysha Mae Mateo and Evan Kawai.
Big “I” Qualifier: Kristen Le and Keegan Loo, Colin Laszlo.
U.S. Women’s Amateur qualifier: Mariel Galdiano, Brittany Fan, Kacie Komoto.
U.S. Amateur qualifiers: Brent Grant and Kyosuke Hara
Barbers Point Invitational: Corey Ozuma (Sydney Maluenda, ladies)
Waialae Women’s Invitational: Sydney Maluenda (low gross) and Sandy Miyamoto (low net)
HSWGA Match Play Championship: Kacie Komoto
Nike Golf Four-Ball Match Play Championship: Kevin Hayashi and Kevin Carll
U.S. Mid-Amateur qualifier: Brandan Kop
OJGA Pearl Junior Open: 15-18—Iris Kawada and Kyosuke Hara; 13-14—Allysha Mae Mateo and AJ Teraoka; 11-12—Reina Iiizumi and Kona Kashiwagi; 10-under—Toa Yokoyama and Ariihau Faana.
Fourth Prince Invitational: Jared Sawada
Boys Junior America’s Cup: Hawaii (Medalist—Shawn Lu, Kyosuke Hara, Spencer Dunaway and Kyle Suppa).
AUGUST
16th Hilo Invitational: Nick Mason
Army Invitational: Brent Grant
51st annual Oahu Country Club Men’s Invitational: Nainoa Calip (David Ishikawa, seniors)
HSJGA Mixed Team Championship: Mari Nishiura and Shawn Lu
Oahu Country Club Women’s Invitational: Alice Kim (low gross) and Marty Drew (low net)
ASPGA Assistant Stroke Play Championship: Kevin Shimomura
Mayor’s Cup: Matt Ma
HSJGA Hualalai Junior Classic: 15-18—Jasmine Cabajar and Justin Jay Arcano; 13-14—Allysha Mae Mateo and Pono Yanagi; 11-12—Millburn Ho and Davis Lee; 7-10—Minny Byun.
Visa Hall of Fame Championship: Kevin Shimomura (Kevin Hayashi, seniors; Bill Hunt, super seniors)
Senior SPC/Senior Championship: Kevin Hayashi
SEPTEMBER
Ka‘anapali HSJGA Match Play Championship: 15-18 Boys—Andrew Chin; 13-18 Girls—Malia Nam; 13-14 Boys—Acey Yanagishita.
Pacific Links Hawaii Championship: Paul Goydos
Oregon State Invitational: Oregon State and Izzy Leung (UH).
HSWGA State Senior Championship: Mira Han
HSJGA Oahu Junior Classic: Rose Huang and Colin Laszlo
OCTOBER
Aloha Section PGA Stroke Play Championship: Garrett Okamura
HSJGA Kiahuna Junior Classic: 15-17—Allisen Corpuz and Kyle Suppa; 13-14—Reese Guzman and Evan Kawai; 7-10—Catherine Choi.
Turtle Bay Amateur—Brent Grant
Rainbow Wahine Invitational: Vanderbilt and Cindy Ha (Vanderbilt)
H2 Invitational: Mike Kawate and Scott Ichimura
Dennis Rose Intercollegiate: UH-Hilo and Dalen Yamauchi (UH-Hilo)
HSJGA Asia-Pacific Junior Cup: Japan 25.5, Hawaii 6.5
NOVEMBER
Oahu Mid-Amateur Championship: Howard Oliver
Bridgestone Pro-Scratch: Garrett Okamura and Royden Heirakuji
Warrior Princeville Makai Invitational: Georgia Tech and Frederick Wedel (Pepperdine)
Ka‘anapali Collegiate Classic: Oregon and Aaron Wise (Oregon)
U.S. Amateur Four-Ball qualifier: Brent Grant and Bill Walbert
Governor’s Cup Challenge: Amateurs 16, Pros 8
Maui Open: Bradley Shigezawa
Sony Open in Hawaii amateur qualifying: Kyle Suppa
DECEMBER
Michelle Wie HSJGA Tournament of Champions: 15-18—Aiko Leong and Kyle Suppa; 13-14—Malia Nam and Evan Kawai; 11-12—Jennifer Koga and Taylor John McGerity; 7-10—Shelby Keolanui and Go Nakatsukasa.
Mauna Lani Resort Hawaii State Open: Dean Wilson (Allisen Corpuz, women; Casey Nakama, senior open; John Oda, low amateur; Mike Kawate, low senior amateur; David Long A Flight).
Joanne Winter Arizona Silver Belle Championship: Mariel Galdiano
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JAMM AQUINO