Kono 1 shot back
Hawaii’s Stephanie Kono is a shot out of first after Wednesday’s opening round of the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament.
Kono, a Punahou alum who is a senior at UCLA, fired a 5-under-par 67 at Daytona Beach, Fla. She is alone in second behind Christine Song.
Kono started on the back nine and didn’t have her first birdie until the 18th on the Legends Course. The three-time All-American bogeyed No. 2, then birdied three straight, with putts from within 12 feet. She ended with two more birdies.
Maui’s Shayna Miyajima is tied for 74th after shooting 75. Sacred Hearts graduate Ayaka Kaneko shot 79, and Hilo’s Kimberly Kim, who was on the LPGA tour this year, is last in the 139-player field after an 89.
The top 40 and ties after Sunday’s round receive 2012 LPGA membership.
Wilson tied for 10th
Castle High graduate Dean Wilson is tied for 10th after one round of the PGA Tour’s Final Stage qualifying.
Wilson has played on the PGA Tour since 2003, after winning six times in Japan. He fired four straight birdies on the front nine of the Nicklaus Course at PGA West in La Quinta, Calif., and had an eagle on the back on the way to a 5-under 67.
Will Claxton and Daniel Summerhays share first at 64.
There are 172 players in the field. The top 25 and ties get PGA cards and the rest are eligible for the Nationwide Tour.
College bound
Five Hawaii State Junior Golf Association seniors signed national letters of intent during the recent Asia Pacific Junior Cup at Waikoloa Kings’ Course.
Makawao’s Alex Chiarella (Seabury Hall) is heading to the University of San Diego, Marissa Chow (‘Iolani) is going to Pepperdine, Jonah Fonacier (Mililani) will play at Concordia (Ore.), Seungjae Maeng (Moanalua) at University of the Pacific and Nani Yanagi (Waiakea) will go to Washington State.
Top juniors to play
Mariel Galdiano, Alex Chiarella, Sengjae Maeng, Brittany Fan, John Oda, Millburn Ho, Aneka Seumanutafa, Allisen Corpuz and state high school champion Eimi Koga are just a few of the juniors qualified to play in this weekend’s Hali‘imaile Pineapple Company Tournament of Champions.
The two-day TOC kicks off Saturday morning at Wailea’s Emerald Course.
