Hawaii golf celebrates another spirited year

It was just another start to the golf year in Hawaii — three tour events, a couple of the most revered college tournaments in the country and a Hall of Fame induction for Brian Sasada that also included honors for every phase of our game … except maybe for people who play like me.

But it was in Hawaii, so it wasn’t just another anything. Golf is different here. So is the way we celebrate it, on every island, all year long.

There is a unique spirit. The hard part is to define that spirit. Or maybe it isn’t.

“Aloha has a lot to do with it here, and playing in that spirit,” says Mary Bea Porter-King, who helped found the Hawaii State Junior Golf Association 25 years ago this month.

The HSJGA annually awards a player the Dr. Richard Ho “Spirit of the Game” Scholarship, talking to people at its tournaments to find a junior who best exemplifies Ho’s joy for the game.

Ho, who died in 2009, founded the Hawaii State Golf Association and sat on its board and the HSJGA’s, along with others locally and nationally. He called golf “like an obsession, a magical inexhaustible journey.”

Dillon Jonke, who helped Maui Prep run away with last year’s David S. Ishii Foundation/HHSAA State High School Boys Golf Championship, was awarded the 2022 Spirit of the Game scholarship at last month’s Ho’olaule’a Hawaii Golf Awards.

On the same night, Sasada became the 76th inductee into the Hawaii Golf Hall of Fame. In 1977, he helped Maui High win its first state championship before playing NAIA Nationals his last two seasons at University of Hawaii Hilo.

His amateur career included representing Hawaii at three consecutive Public Links national championships and winning the 1997 Callaway Hawaii State Open a year before turning pro. He qualified for the Sony Open in Hawaii twice, won three Maui Opens and multiple Aloha Section PGA Match and Stroke Play titles.

That gives Jonke something to shoot for and so does former Spirit of the Game honoree Ken Miyata, who became the HSJGA’s Director of Tournament Operations.

Jonke, captain of Maui Prep’s golf and paddling teams, will golf for Cal State Northridge in the fall, after he and his teammates attempt to defend their state title. Jonke was second to HBA’s Joshua Hayashida individually last year.

Hayashida is now a freshman at UH. Kamehameha Schools Maui senior Anson Cabello, the 2022 HSJGA Player of the Year in the 15-18 age group, will be Hayashida’s teammate next season in Manoa.

What goes around comes around. Former Hawaii juniors have matured into ASPGA, Hawaii State and Hawaii State Women’s Golf Association stars. Some have become Course Superintendents and Golf Representatives, who were also honored when the Ho’olaule’a returned after three years lost to the pandemic.

Brooks’ dream job

One of the most prominent former juniors now is Julie Brooks, a 1984 Punahou grad in her first year as Rainbow Wahine coach. She is quick to call it her “dream job,” after serving as UH assistant 20 years ago and working as a pro at Oahu Country Club and a Callaway distributor.

Brooks spent the last 16 years at UC Irvine. The three-time Big West Coach of the Year guided the Anteaters to a pair of NCAA Championship appearances, four NCAA Regionals and served on the NCAA DI Women’s Golf Committee.

Now she’s home to spend “quality family time.” Her 88-year-old father worked at Wailea in the 1970s. She learned to golf there, but was devoted to team sports at Punahou.

A chance invitation to a golf outing at a Maui wedding somehow pulled her into the game that would take over her life. “Thank God that person got married,” Brooks says now.

This month, her team hosted the 37th Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational at Hoakalei — won twice by Annika Sorenstam 30 years ago — and will host the Anuenue Spring Break Classic at Royal Kaanapali.

Next month it defends its inaugural Big West championship, a title shared with Cal Poly last year under former coach Stephen Bidne. Hyeonji Kang, from South Korea, Momo Sugiyama and Monica Johnson from Australia, and Hana Mirnik (Slovenia) all finished Top 10.

Sophomores Kang and Mayumi Umezu — born in Waimea to Japanese parents — lead this year’s team in scoring, followed by freshman Wendy Song, from Taiwan. Brooks recruited her a week after she was hired in June.

Brooks’ recruiting goal will always be to reach out to local players, and complement them with international players and some from California, where she has so many connections. She calls it the “trifecta” and emphasizes “priceless” opportunities to grow and learn from diverse people who often become close friends.

In other words, the global version of Hawaii golf, which Brooks says has grown immensely since she left, thanks in part to Porter-King’s huge influence on juniors.

Brooks hopes Hoolaulea’s vision of collaboration also grows, along with participation here … and the spirit of the game.

“There is way more available than when I was young,” Brooks said. “They’ve created a buzz and excitement and that’s why I think there are so many good players. I have to figure a way to keep them home.”

Hawaii Golf Hoolaulea Awards

HSJGA Player of the Year, Girls 7-10: Cassidy Chang

HSJGA Player of the Year, Boys 7-10: Jason Uno

HSJGA Player of the Year, Girls 11-12: Kira Uno

HSJGA Player of the Year, Boys 11-12: Leo Saito

HSJGA Player of the Year, Girls 13-14: Kate Nakaoka

HSJGA Player of the Year, Boys 13-14: Gunnar Lee

HSJGA Player of the Year, Girls 15-18: Raya Nakao

HSJGA Player of the Year, Boys 15-18: Anson Cabello

HSJGA Dr. Ho Spirit of the Game: Dillon Jonke

HSGA Men’s Player of the Year: Tyler Ogawa

HSGA Senior Player of the Year: Mike Kawate

HSGA Women’s Player of the Year: Raya Nakao

HSGA Volunteer of the Year: Susan Church

HSWGA Golfer of the Year: Jeannie Pak

HSWGA Volunteer of the Year: Gwen Omori

GCSAA Golf Course Superintendent of the Year: Chad Higaki (C.G.C.S.)

GCSAA Lifetime Achievement Award: Curtis Kono

ASPGA Player of the Year: Hunter Larson (PGA)

ASPGA Senior Player of the Year: Michael A. Castillo (PGA)

ASPGA Golf Professional of the Year: Alex Nakajima (PGA)

ASPGA Assistant Golf Professional of the Year: Michael P. Taylor Jr. (PGA)

ASPGA President’s Award: Joel Navarro

ASPGA Teacher of the Year: Scott W. Bridges (PGA)

ASPGA Youth Player Development: William M. Foster (PGA)

ASPGA Bill Strausbaugh Award: Andrew T. Farrea (PGA)

ASPGA Professional Development: Gregory A. Nichols (PGA)

ASPGA Merchandiser of the Year, Private: Todd R. Michaelsen (PGA)

ASPGA Merchandiser of the Year, Resort: Michael A. Castillo (PGA)

ASPGA Merchandiser of the Year, Public: David K. Higa (PGA)

ASPGA Sales Representative of the Year: Trevor Nishiyama

ASPGA Player Development: Marcus R. Judge (PGA)

ASPGA Patriot Award: Thomas C. Freestone (PGA)