WAILUA — Punahou’s Raya Nakao fired a 3-under 69 in gusty winds at Wailua Golf Course to take the lead in the David Y. Ishii Hawai‘i High School Girls Golf State Championships that opened Tuesday.
WAILUA — Punahou’s Raya Nakao fired a 3-under 69 in gusty winds at Wailua Golf Course to take the lead in the David Y. Ishii Hawai‘i High School Girls Golf State Championships that opened Tuesday.
The championship tournament features high school girls from across the state vying to be the champion following 36 holes of play.
Two strokes back, Chloe Jang of Roosevelt High School followed in second place after carding even par in the course that opened to limited public play following the tee off of the high school players on the first and 10th holes.
Ava Cepeda of Kahuku High School is at third place a stroke behind Jang. Kate Nakaoka of Mililani High School is in fourth place, a stroke back of Cepeda.
Heiley Kikuchi, finishing the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation season as a member of the qualifying Kaua‘i High School girls team, leads the KIF golfers in 36th place after finishing with an 18-over 90, tying with Paige Sur of Moanalua High School.
Amalia Abigania, the KIF top female individualist, is at 52nd place following a round of 99. She is followed at 53rd place by Leilani Redondo of Kaua‘i High and Haley Arakaki at 55th place with a 101.
The HHSAA girls play their final round on Wednesday, with the first groups teeing off at 7 a.m. Following the girls tournament, the course will open for the boys practice round after 11 a.m. The HHSAA boys compete on Thursday and Friday.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 808-245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.