For much of the first two days of Hawaii’s most storied women’s golf championship, a pair of Japanese teenagers took turns making Mid-Pacific Country Club look easy and Hawaii’s golfers look bad by comparison. Then the eagle landed Saturday, instantly giving Nicole Sakamoto hope that she could defend her Jennie K. Wilson Invitational title.
Hinako Yamauchi, a high school junior from Miyazaki Prefecture, fired a 3-under-par 69 Saturday to take a three-shot advantage into today’s final round of the 63rd annual Jennie K.
First-round leader Hina Arakaki (79), a 14-year-old from Japan who was fifth last year, is second. Sakamoto (75) is another shot back at 3-over 147.
Hawaii 17-year-old Brittany Fan, who was third last year, pulled into fourth at 74—149. Kaci Masuda (72) is a stroke behind her after shooting the day’s second-best round.
Arakaki, still in junior high, torched Mid-Pac on Friday for a 5-under 67. Yamauchi was on the same pace for 13 holes Saturday, transforming a seven-shot deficit into a four-shot advantage over Arakaki. She was seven up on Sakamoto with five holes remaining.
But on the par-5, 501-yard fifth, Sakamoto pulled out driver while everyone else hit a hybrid off the tee. Yamauchi’s layup with an iron bounced right, into the hazard. Arakaki’s kicked fast forward, into the water. Both ended up with bogeys.
Sakamoto grabbed a hybrid of her own from 200 yards out, waited for the green to clear, and put her approach shot over the water and 3 feet from the hole. The ensuing eagle cut her deficit to four.
"It made me feel like I was still in it," said Sakamoto, who hit just 11 greens in regulation — counting the last three. "I got it going a little. That eagle helped a lot."
Yamauchi’s bogey on the next hole cut Sakamoto’s deficit to three, but Sakamoto closed with her second three-putt of the front nine. That gave her 75, and still a shot at defending.
"Yesterday, I had a good putting day, but today wasn’t going so well," said the Kalani alum, who won last year just days after graduating from James Madison. "So I figured I just needed to get on the greens and two-putt — whatever happens, happens. Then, on that hole (No. 5), I knew if I hit a good drive I’d have an advantage and at least birdie. Turned out even better."
Sakamoto, 23, has been spectacular since she went to college. She won three times and qualified for the 2011 NCAA tournament at James Madison. Over the last three summers, she won six of seven Hawaii women’s majors she played and lost a playoff in December at the Hawaii State Open. She has been working at Olomana Golf Links the past year, honing her game for LPGA Q-School in August.
Today will not be as challenging as that free-for-all, but it will be difficult. Yamauchi’s sweet putting stroke is reminiscent of 2011 champ Eri Joma, who flew in from Fukuoka to become the first foreigner to win Jennie K. in 32 years. Yamauchi poured in five birdie putts over her first 10 holes Saturday to take control, and knew she left a few out there.
"I’m not satisfied yet," she said through an interpreter. "I was good going out, but not so good coming in."
Sakamoto was still impressed.
"Her putting, her short game … both of their short games (Yamauchi and Arakaki) are really good," Sakamoto said. "The little girls, they have really good short games."
Sakamoto trailed going into the final round last year. She forced herself to focus on her own game and not worry about what she could not control. Today, the plan remains the same for one simple reason — "It worked last year."
