Chan secures lone U.S. Women’s Open spot at local qualifier

Tiffany Chan was again successful in her annual Hawaii layover designed to secure a U.S. Women’s Open slot. She made it look easy Monday at the sectional at Oahu Country Club, just not as easy as last year.

Chan saw OCC and all its eccentricities for the first time in a practice round Sunday, playing the short course known for big numbers bogey-free.

It was no fluke. She shot 4-under-par 67 in Monday’s morning round and followed up with 69 to win the Hawaii qualifier’s lone spot by five strokes. A year ago, she won by 13 on Maui.

This time, a trio of Hawaii pros closed valiantly in the afternoon, but had too many shots to make up. ‘Iolani grad Marissa Chow got a 40-foot downhill birdie putt to die in on the first playoff hole to earn first alternate over Cyd Okino (Punahou) and Mari Chun (Kamehameha).

“Grass grew,” Chow grinned when asked about her quick birdie putt. “We’ve been out here a long time.”

All finished at 141.

Chow, who shot 69 in the afternoon, and Okino, who had 70, played for Pepperdine and Washington in college. Both are coaching at their high school alma maters.

Chun, who played for Stanford, closed with 67. She still has status on the Symetra Tour, but is coming back after a three-year break to serve as her mother’s caregiver. She plans to go back to LPGA Q-School this year.

Chow has played in two U.S. Women’s Opens and is trying to recover from a collarbone injury suffered in a recent car accident. She is also pondering her professional golf future and planning for her wedding with Dylan Goto next month.

Okino is heading back to Japan in July for her fourth try at qualifying for that tour.

Chan is where they would like to be in the golf world. She won two NJCAA national championships at Daytona State JC and transferred to USC, where she played against Chow and Okino. She has been on Hong Kong’s national team since she was 12, played in the 2016 Olympics and qualified for the LPGA Tour last year.

On May 30, she will be in the 74th U.S. Women’s Open Championship, at the Country Club of Charleston (S.C.).

She had nine birdies and just four bogeys over 36 hilly holes at OCC on Monday, staying far away from the dreaded big numbers the course is known for.

“It’s funny, this course is very similar to the courses I grew up on in Hong Kong,” said Chan, who left last night to go home for the Hong Kong Ladies Open. “Very grainy greens and very severe. If you go over the green, you’re almost dead.

“I liked it when I came here yesterday. I was lucky enough to put two low scores together.”

Okino sensed it was was not luck after playing the back nine with Chan on Sunday.

“I knew she would play good today,” Okino said. “I knew if I wanted to qualify, I would have to play really well too. She’s just a solid player. She hits the ball straight and far, hits it close on the green and her putting is unreal.”

Yoonjeong Huh, from Kailua-Kona, earned low amateur honors at 72—146. The 14-year-old attends Makua Lani Christian.

OCC was the site of one of 25 sectional qualifiers in the U.S., England, Japan, South Korea and China.