Allisen Corpuz rose above all that went on in Hawaii golf in 2022.
The Punahou alum was a threat her entire rookie year on the LPGA Tour, collecting $721,135 and 11 top-25 finishes. She finished 48th in the Rolex World Rankings a year after soaring to her master’s in Global Supply Chain Management at USC, with Graduate Certificates in Business Analytics Sustainability and Business.
All this for someone whose goal a year ago was simply to keep her card.
“I came into the year with low expectations,” Corpuz admits. “I hit some great shots this year under pressure that I wasn’t sure I could pull off.”
There are no longer any doubts, and rarely have been since 2008, when she became the youngest in history to qualify for a USGA event at age 10 — beating out Michelle Wie West by six months. She has now played in 18 USGA championships.
Aloha Section PGA Executive Director Wes Wailehua says his first meeting with Corpuz came before she won the state high school championship as a senior, and long before her All-American career at USC.
“She was great, very soft-spoken and kind and so much talent,” Wailehua recalls. “You could tell at some point she would be a professional. I’m very happy for her and her growth. I hope she continues.
“I see her as a great leader for a lot of college women and high school female athletes because she’s a great person. … I’m a big fan. It’s great for Hawaii to have stories like that.”
Corpuz’s story goes much deeper than golf. She loves the travel on tour — especially in Europe — and figures the best thing she did this year was “balance her schedule.”
Her biggest surprise was all the kindness she found in an uber-competitive environment.
“I met so many people this year, and when they found out I was a rookie, everyone went out of their way to make me feel welcome and give me advice,” Corpuz says. “I was lucky to play with several Hall of Famers and tour veterans throughout the year, and all of them were incredibly kind.”
She attributes her success to finding that comfort zone, and simply “committing to shots and my routines. No matter how I was playing, I tried to keep everything consistent. I knew that I was good enough, so I focused on staying in the moment and enjoying myself.”
It worked for her and, ideally, it will for others from Hawaii.
Like Wailehua, Hawaii Golf Hall of Famer Casey Nakama — best known for coaching Wie West — believes Corpuz is someone Hawaii kids can easily relate to. He might already be seeing her impact in Raya Nakao, heading to Oregon State, and Kara Kaneshiro, on her way to Colorado State.
The Punahou and Kalani seniors dominated women’s golf this year, sweeping pretty much every major title with Kaneshiro starting strong and Nakao finishing with a flourish. They often finished 1-2, with Nakao ultimately claiming the Hawaii State Golf Association’s Women’s Player of the Year honor by 56.25 points over Kaneshiro, with No. 3 nearly 600 points back.
“Those two went at it all summer and they are really the best of friends,” says Nakama, who has worked with them since they were 8. “It’s unbelievable. At the end they were like family.”
Beyond that there was much going on in local golf — major, minor and, for the most part, much more enjoyable to think about than the sad showdown playing out between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf:
>> Moanalua and Brigham Young-Hawaii alum Brent Grant won on the Korn Ferry Tour, then drained a 50-foot birdie putt on the final hole of the season-ending championship to earn his PGA Tour card.
>> Tyler Ogawa is the HSGA’s men’s Player of the Year and Mike Kawate claimed his fourth Senior POY in a row.
>> The HSGA got its 501c3 tax status in August. It has now taken over the David S. Ishii Foundation, which runs the state high school championship, and is talking to both the Hawaii State Women’s Golf Association and Foundation.
“Our change in tax status is going to give us a boost in revamping and expanding our objectives of supporting golf in Hawaii,” HSGA Executive Director Paul Ogawa says.
>> The University of Hawaii Rainbow Wahine won four tournament titles in their 2021-22 season — including their inaugural Big West Championship. When it was done, Stephen Bidne resigned as coach after five seasons. Punahou graduate Julie Brooks took over after 16 seasons at UC Irvine, where the three-time Big West Conference Coach of the Year took her team to four NCAA Regionals and made two NCAA Championship appearances.
>> Wailehua said the ASPGA will bring back the Ho‘olaule‘a Hawaii Golf Hall of Fame celebration Feb. 10 and plans are being finalized for the return of the Hawaii State Open after a five-year hiatus.
>> We said goodbye, with much aloha, to Curtis Kono and Hal Okita, who left an indelible mark on golf in Hawaii, professionally and personally.
Kono died of cancer at age 70 last month after taking one final golf trip to Scotland. He helped create and renovate a handful of courses here before closing his career with some 20-plus years of remarkable work as golf superintendent at Oahu Country Club, and as a grounds volunteer at Augusta National for The Masters. OCC celebrated the 35th anniversary of Kono’s Manoa Cup victory this summer.
Okita, a proud Army veteran, died at 89 in January. He was general manager of the U.S. Army Support Command of Hawaii (USASCH), overseeing Kalakaua, Leilehua and Ft. Shafter golf courses, then helped develop Royal Kunia. After “retiring,” he worked as Executive Director of the HSGA, which he helped found, and ASPGA, then was GM at Mid-Pacific Country Club another eight years … all while serving as a rules official. The HSGA’s Player of the Year stipend is now named after Okita.
>> Ala Wai Municipal’s driving range is now Ala Wai Golf Center and run by Hawaii State Junior Golf Association and its new partner First Tee Hawaii, working in a public-private partnership with the City and County.
There is a good chance the next Allisen Corpuz will be hitting golf balls there in 2023.
2022 HAWAII GOLF CHAMPIONS
JANUARY
>> Sentry Tournament of Champions — Cameron Smith
>> Sony Open in Hawaii qualifiers — BJ Doucett, Jared Sawada, Koichiro Ishika, Andy Ogletre
>> Sony Open in Hawaii — Hideki Matsuyama
>> Mitsubishi Electric Championship — Miguel Angel Jiménez
FEBRUARY
>> 31st annual Amer Ari Intercollegiate — Oklahoma State and Eugenio Lopez-Chacarro (Oklahoma State)
>> 45th annual John A. Burns Intercollegiate — New Mexico and Aaron Du (Cal)
>> 15th annual HSGA Four Ball — Matthew Ma and Casey Watabu, Raya Nakao and Kara Kaneshiro (Women), Jonathan Pingue and Lon Yamaguchi (A Flight), Gary Sato and Guy Amimoto (B), Brian Watanabe and Jared Kato (Senior Gross), Brian Pang and Tomi Yamada (Senior Net), Mia Nakaoka and Samantha Monroe (Women’s Net).
MARCH
>> Army Women’s Invitational — Kara Kaneshiro, Jeannie Pak (A flight), B.B. Harvey (B), Jenny Kim (C), Debra Murobayashi (D), Korai Santiago (E)
>> Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational — Sacramento State and Jocelyn Chee Yi Min (Cal Baptist)
>> HSJGA 14-under JTS Maui — Girls: Kira Uno (11-12) and Ava Kawahara (13-14). Boys: Robert Loree (7-10), Leo Saito (11-12) and Gunnar Lee (13-14).
>> 59th Hawaii State Amateur Stroke Play Championship — Niall Shiels Donegan, Kara Kaneshiro (Women’s Open), Alexander Zannes (Mid-Amateur), Craig Steinberg (Men’s Senior), Young Hwa Kim (Women’s Senior), Niall Shiels Donegan (Junior Boys), Kara Kaneshiro (Junior Girls)
>> Anuenue Spring Break Classic — UC Davis and Madison Wood (UC Davis)
>> HSJGA 14-under JTS Oahu — Girls: Caitlyn Matsunaga (11-12), Ava Cepeda (13-14). Boys: Leo Saito (11-12). Gunnar Lee (13-14).
>> Aloha Section PGA Assistant Four-Ball Championship — Mark Chun and Cyd Okino
APRIL
>> HSJGA 14-under JTS Big Island — Girls: Khloe Nakagawa (11-12), Kate Nakaoka (13-14). Boys: Blake Nakagawa (7-10), Leo Saito (11-12), Kaha‘i‘olelo Helm (13-14).
>> LPGA Lotte Championship — Hyo Joo Kim
>> OIA Championships — Girls: Kalani and Kara Kaneshiro (Kalani). Boys: Moanalua and Jet Magsanide (Campbell).
>> 63rd Mid-Pacific Open — Alex Ching, Tyler Ogawa (amateur), Eddie Morales (A Flight), William Enomoto (B Flight)
>> HSJGA 14-under JTS Kauai—Girls: Makayla Yonemura (7-10), Kira Uno (11-12), Kate Nakaoka (13-14). Boys: Blake Nakagawa (7-10), Leo Saito (11-12), Graham Morgan (13-14).
>> KIF Championships — Girls: Kauai High and Ema-Lani Ebesu (Island). Boys — Island School and Spencer Summerhayes (Island)
>> BIIF Championships — Girls: Kiersten Saludares (Waiakea). Boys — Dysen Park (Waiakea)
>> ILH Championships — Girls: Raya Nakao (Punahou). Boys: Joshua Hayashida (Hawaii Baptist).
>> 122nd U.S. Open local qualifier Maui — Samuel Cyr and Justin Keiley
MAY
>> David S. Ishii Foundation/HHSAA State Championships — Girls: Raya Nakao (Punahou) and Punahou. Boys: Joshua Hayashida (HBA) and Maui Prep.
>> 122nd U.S. Open local qualifier Oahu — Cory Oride and Keita Okada
>> 77th U.S. Women’s Open sectional qualifier — Tiffany Chan
>> 42nd U.S. Senior Open qualifier — Yoshinobu Tsukada, Chad Solter (Low Amateur)
>> 71st Jennie K. Wilson Invitational (Mid-Pacific CC) — Hanaka Shiozumi, Young Hwa Kim (A flight), Mira Han (B), Sandy Miyamoto (C), Susan Awaya (D), Kristina Li (E).
JUNE
>> 70th Francis I‘i Brown Four-Ball — Kyle Nakazaki and Jesse Rhymes, Guy Yamamoto and Ralden Chang (Seniors), Michael Wolfe and Alan Matsuo (A flight), Al Amii and Dwight Sato (B).
>> King Auto Group 12-under State Junior Championship — Girls: Amelia Silva (7-10), Kira Uno (11-12). Boys: Blake Nakagawa (7-10), Linken Tanabe (13-14).
>> 74th U.S. Boys Junior Amateur qualifier — Luciano Conlan
>> 73rd U.S. Girls Junior Amateur qualifier — Ava Cepeda, Mia Cepeda and Kara Kaneshiro
>> 113th Manoa Cup — Peter Jung, Raya Nakao (Women)
>> Aloha Section PGA Kaanapali Pro-Pro Championship — Kevin Shimomura and Chris Shimomura
>> HSJGA King Auto 13-18 State Junior Championship — Girls: Kate Nakaoka (13-14), Raya Nakao (15-18). Boys: Jordan Take (13-14), Ben Cafferio (15-18).
>> Aloha Junior PGA Championship — Tyler Loree and Raya Nakao
>> 60th U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Qualifier — Young Hwa Kim, Miki Young, Agnes Yamauchi
JULY
>> 121st U.S. Amateur qualifier — Luciano Conlan
>> 122nd U.S. Women’s Amateur qualifier — Alison Takamiya, Kate Nakaoka and Allysha Mae Mateo
>> HSJGA Oahu Junior Championship — Girls: Makena Yonemura (11-12), Mariko Yonemura (13-14), Yewon Chloe Jang (15-18). Boys: Keola Earle (7-10), Ethan Jake Abella (11-12), Jake Otani (13-14), Katsuhiro Yamashita (15-18).
>> 65th Waialae Women’s Invitational — Alison Takamiya (overall low gross) and Kristina Li (overall low net). Championship Flight: Carolyn Barnett (low gross) and Kyong Omura (low net). A: Tanya Watumull and Kunie Maruwaka. B: Judy Tonda and Sandie Choe. C: Vivian Ahn and Ok Taek Sim. D: Shizuko Takahashi and Loren Pulice.
>> 57th annual Oahu Country Club Men’s Invitational — Tyler Ogawa
>> HSWGA Member Match Play Championship — Mari Nakamura, Mimi Fukushima (A Flight)
>> 41st U.S. Mid-Am qualifier — Jesse Rhymes
AUGUST
>> 62nd Army Invitational — Zackary Kaneshiro, Alexander Zannes (Mid-Am), Gem Matas (A flight), Dan Chur (B), Brian Plouffe (C).
>> Maui Open — Cory Oride, Lee Sakugawa (Seniors), Keith Anderson (Super Seniors), Lakota Lee (A flight).
>> HSJGA Poipu Bay Junior Classic — Girls: Kara Kaneshiro (15-18). Boys: Ulukoanui Kailiwai (13-14), Reagan James Miles (15-18).
>> 67th U.S. Senior Amateur Qualifier — Craig Steinberg
>> OCC Women’s Invitational — Kara Kaneshiro, Sunhee Lee (A flight), Yindi Fowler (B), On Choe (C), Kristina Li (D) and Kelly Leger (E).
>> HSWGA Senior Women’s Championship — Carolyn Barnett (Low Gross) and Lily Yao (Low Net). Super Seniors (80-91): Joanne Zehngraff (LG) and Martha Crisp (LN). A Flight (74-79): Bev Kim and Barbara Schroeder. B (66-73): Eiko Okada and Yong Soken. C (63-65): Mira Jang and Sandra Kim. D (59-62): Theresa Realica and Jung Sook Chung. E (51-58): Young Hwa Kim and Sunny Hur.
>> Kauai Junior Championship — Girls: Nicole Oda (7-10), Kira Uno (11-12), Kate Nakaoka (13-14), Kara Kaneshiro (15-18). Boys: Jason Uno (7-10), Leo Saito (11-12), Jake Omani (13-14), Tyler Tamayori (15-18).
>> U.S. Senior Amateur Women’s qualifier — Carolyn Barnett and Young Hwa Kim
>> U.S. Mid-Amateur qualifier (Leilehua, usga.org) — Alexander Zannes
>> Aloha Section PGA Assistants Championship — Jeff Ingman
>> HSJGA Ka`anapali Junior Classic — Girls: Kira Uno (11-12), Judson Omori (13-14), Teal Matsueda (15-18). Boys —Jason Uno (7-10), Brycen James Massey (11-12), Ben Cafferio (15-18).
>> Aloha Section PGA Senior Stroke Play Championship — Eddie Lee
>> Fifth annual HSGA Kauai Amateur — Dane Watanabe, Mike Garcia (Amateur Low Gross), Wayne Takabayashi (Amateur Low Net), Jonathan Ota (Senior Low Gross), Greg Anderson (Senior Low Net), Dan O’Connell (Super Senior).
>> HSGA Kauai Junior Classic — Girls: Nicole Oda (7-10), Kira Uno (11-12), Kate Nakaoka (13-14), Kara Kaneshiro (15-18). Boys: Jason Uno (7-10),Leo Saito (11-12), Jake Omani (13-14), Tyler Tamayori (15-18).
SEPTEMBER
>> Hapuna Roundup — TJ Esaki-Kua
>> 36th HSGA Mayor’s Cup — Tyler Ogawa, Raya Nakao (Women), Jocelyn Choi (Women’s low net), Debra-Anne Murobayashi (Senior Women), Mike Kawate (Seniors), Glenn Made (Senior low net), Lance Katahara (A flight) and Tomi Yamada (B).
>> HSJGA Big Island Junior Classic — Girls: Nicole Oda (7-10), Kira Uno (11-12), Kate Nakaoka (13-14), Teal Matsueda (15-18). Boys: Aki Bonk (7-10), Leo Saito (11-12), Jake Otani (13-14), Noah Otani (15-18).
>> Aloha Section PGA Championship — Michael Castillo
>> HSGA 97th Big Island Amateur — Tyler Ogawa, Jonathan Ota (Senior Low Gross), Darryl Yagi (Senior Low Net), Brett Smith (Super Senior), Noah Isawa Okazaki (Low Net) and Katsuhiro Yamashita (Big Island Resident Champion)
OCTOBER
>> HSJGA Maui Jr Classic — Girls: Kira Uno (11-12), Kate Nakaoka (13-14), Ashley Koga (15-18). Boys: Lenny Saito (7-10), Leo Saito (11-12), Gunnar Lee (13-14), Anson Cabello (15-18).
>> Fifth HSGA Maui Amateur — Tyler Loree, Craig Steinberg (Senior Low Gross), Joe Delaginte (Senior Low Net), Sacha Chung Salem (Low Net)
>> 2023 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Qualifier — Casey Watabu and Matt Ma
>> Rainbow Wahine Invitational — Colorado State and Cassie Kim (Gonzaga)
>> Klipper Amateur — Luciano Conlan, Kevin Wong (A flight), Gary Sato (B), Mike Kawate (Seniors)
>> Waikoloa Invitational — Corey Kozuma, Kevin Hayashi (Senior Pro), Kyle Hayashi (Low Amateur)
>> Eighth annual Kaanapali Classic Collegiate — Oklahoma and Andrew Swanson (Clemson)
>> Southwest Airlines HPU Women’s Shark Shootout — Cal State San Marcos and Breann Horn (CSUSM)
>> Southwest Airlines HPU Men’s Shark Shootout — Chico State and Tyler Ashman (Chico State)
>> HSWGA Member Stroke Play Tournament — Young Hwa Kim, Bev Kim (A), Cheryl Fontes (B).
>> Pac-12 Preview — Stanford and Rose Zhang (Stanford)
>> Dennis Rose Women’s Intercollegiate — Cal State San Marcos and Brady Turnquiest (Biola)
>> Dennis Rose Men’s Intercollegiate — Cal State San Marcos and Colorado-Colorado Springs (co-champs) and Nathan Jettong (Stanislaus State)
>> Big Island Invitational — Corey Kozuma
NOVEMBER
>> Sony Open in Hawaii amateur qualifier — Blaze Akana
DECEMBER
>> HSJGA/First Tee Hawaii Tour Championship — Girls: Lucy Cui (7-10), Kira Uno (11-12), Ava Cepeda (13-14), Reya Nakao (15-18). Boys: Blake Nakagawa (7-10), Leo Saito (11-12), Keola Silva (13-14), Katsuhiro Yamashita (15-18).
JANUARY 2023
>> 5-8—Sentry Tournament of Champions (PGA Tour) at Kapalua Plantation
>> 12-15—Sony Open in Hawaii (PGA Tour) at Waialae Country Club
>> 19-21—Mitsubishi Electric Championship (Champions Tour) at Hualalai
