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Kalani graduate Nicole Sakamoto was the low professional at last week’s Suncoast Ladies Tour event, at Black Bear Golf Club in Eustis, Fla.
Sakamoto shot rounds of 73-70-71. Her 2-under-par total left her one shot back of amateur Kaeli Jones and gave Sakamoto the $2,000 first-prize money.
Sakamoto has worked part-time as an intern for the Minor League Golf Tour since February while she works on her game. She is headed to California next month for the first stage of LPGA qualifying school.
Koga transfers to UH from Washington
Former state high school golf champ Eimi Koga has transferred to the University of Hawaii, the school announced. Koga is currently playing in the World University Games in South Korea. She shot 76 in Wednesday’s first round and is tied for 21st.
University of Washington coach Mary Lou Mulfler is leading the U.S. team.
Koga, who won the 2011 state championship as a Moanalua sophomore, played for the Huskies the last two years. She had five top 10s last season and helped UW into the final eight of the NCAA Championships. Koga finished the season No. 38 in the golfstat.com rankings and was a Pac-12 honorable mention selection.
Koga joins a Rainbow Wahine team that did not have a senior last season. Sophomore Izzy Leung was UH MVP for the second year and Raquel Ek, another sophomore, earned most improved.
Ek was runner-up at the Big West Conference Championship. Hawaii also was second as a team, its highest finish since 2010.
Won takes title at Dave & Buster’s Junior Classic
Jun Ho Won opened last week’s sixth Dave & Buster’s Junior Classic with a 7-under-par 65 at Pearl Country Club and ran away with the title in the oldest boys division.
Won, who captured the Francis Brown Four-Ball title in May with Moanalua teammate Shawn Lu, shot 67 in the final round and beat runner-up Justin Ngan by seven.
Mililani’s Mari Nishiura captured the oldest girls division by four over Annika Espino, with rounds of 71-75. AJ Teraoka shot 69-74 to win the Boys 13-14 division by nine over Davis Lee.
Kahului’s Reese Guzman won the Girls 13-14 championship by a shot over Miki Manta. Guzman shot 77-79.
Oda and Chan share 10th place at Sahalee
Honolulu’s John Oda and Lorens Chan tied for 10th at last week’s 22nd Sahalee Players Championship, played in Sammamish, Wash.
Oda, a Moanalua graduate now playing for UNLV, was four back going into the last round, but fired a 76 for a 289 total. Chan, an ‘Iolani grad playing for UCLA, closed with a 74 to tie Oda.
Both finished 10 shots behind wire-to-wire champion Corey Pereira, a University of Washington junior from California.
Punahou senior Kyle Suppa (81—303) was 47th.
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