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DENNIS ODA / APRIL 15
Stephanie Kono hits a ball from the fairway during the third round of the Lotte Championship at the Ko Olina Golf Club.
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Hawaii’s Stephanie Kono and Britney Yada are in the top half of the field after Wednesday’s opening round of LPGA Qualifying’s Final Stage.
Kono, a Punahou and UCLA alumna, birdied the last two holes to shoot an even-par 72 and earn a share of 38th, five shots out of first. Yada, out of Waiakea and Portland State, is tied for 72nd after a 74.
Players from eight countries are in the top 10 at Daytona Beach, Fla. There are 156 in the field.
The top 20 earn full LPGA playing privileges, with the next 25 earning partial status. There is a cut to the Top 70 and ties Saturday, with the final round Sunday.
All golfers in the final stage have earned playing privileges on the LPGA’s 2017 Symetra Tour.
Kono earned $26,000 in 14 LPGA starts this year. Yada won $16,000 in 17 Symetra starts.
Wire-to-wire winners
Nanea’s Kris Kitt and Juan Rodriguez went wire-to-wire to win the E-Z-GO Facilities Team Championship, played at Hualalai Resort Saturday and Sunday.
Kitt and Rodriguez opened with an 8-under-par 64 at the Ke’olu Course. They followed up with a 66 at Hualalai to win by two shots over Beau Yokomoto and Corey Kozuma, from the Top Dawgs Junior Golf Program. The winners collected $2,000.
Kitt and Chris Keiter, also from Nanea, tied for third with Elliot Gouveia and Eric Dugas, from Makena Golf & Beach Club.