4 Teenager's From Hawaii in the Women's US Open

[pitbull808]

It's a big week for four teenagers and also for our State. We've got four teenagers in playing the the Women's US Open.

 

Michelle Wie, 16 everyone knows. Stephanie Kono, 16, classmate of Michelle at Punahou High School and pretty much reigning Champ of everthing a female could win here locally. Many people in the state call Stephanie the best unknown 16 year old golfer in the State. Ayako Kaneko, 16, originally from Japan but moved to Hawaii to play more golf. Last but not least, and second place finisher in last weeks Women's Public Links, Kimberly Kim, 14 is in there too.

 

I know I'll have a hard time not tuning in for the next four days. :yahoo:

 

[kmrev]

Pitbull...looks like Ms. Wie is having a major influence on Hawaiian Junior golf !! Thanks for the info. I was unaware of that fact.

[MrParr1Noid]

Reid...Your state has lots of good players...is it the water? Maybe it's the influence of the elders and the superior knowledge of the elders. Another thing, all you folks over there have the best equipment in the world, that helps, and I know that most folks in Hawaii have a fine supply of putting equipment, they have many to choose from. :yahoo:

 

All kidding aside, I think it's great to have that many Jr women golfers succeeding at that level. Cheers to them all. :bad:

 

p.s. Reid, if you would, send me a couple gallons of that water. :yahoo:

[themouth1]

I am pretty new to Hawaii and live on the Big Island. I was pleasantly surprised by the junior golf programs here. I move quite a bit due to my job and have seen quite a few places. The golf programs in Hilo, HI are by far the best I have ever seen. I think this explains the sudden influx of Hawaiian players. The other sports are also very strongly supported at the junior level. What a great place to raise a child!!! I am a firm believer that involvement in organized sports keeps kids out of trouble.

[Gub]

Just read this in the 7/8 issues of Golfweek:

 

The official word from the USGA is that local and sectional qualifiers staged in Hawaii will be reviewed this fall. The general concensus? Because of low turnout, the future of these events is in jeopardy. Too bad. Out of the Hawaii qualifiers this year, we had Michelle Wie (who qualified locallyfor the men's US Open sectional) and 15-year-old Todd Fujikawa, one fo the top stories at Winged Foot, as well as 14-year-old Kimberly Kim (Women's Open local), who was the youngest player to make the cut at Newport. Four Hawaiians played at Newport. Cost for them to go to the mainland for qualifying? As high as $10,000.

 

"They're saying it's a numbers game, but the numbers will come," said Matt Hall, director of golf at Turtle Bay Resort in Honolulu, who is involved with junior golf on the island. He planned to do some lobbying at the Women's Open, where he caddied for Kim. "The Open is too special to deter kids from trying to qualify because they have to fly 3,000 miles to the next site."