By George F. Lee, Star-Bulletin
Anna Umemura and her caddy, Parker McLachlin,
line up a putt.
Umemura romps
in Jennie K.
Finishes with biggest margin since '83
By Bill Kwon
Star-BulletinAnna Umemura let out a whoop when she sank an 18-foot birdie putt on the final hole of the 47th Jennie K. Wilson Invitational golf tournament yesterday at the Mid-Pacific Country Club. Of course, the Punahou School senior could have 10-putted the par-4 18th hole and still won. But she wanted the birdie badly even though she lapped the field with a final-round 74 for a 54-hole score of 224 and a whopping 13-stroke victory.
It was the biggest margin of victory since Lori Castillo won the Jennie K. in 1983 by 18 strokes with a still-standing tournament record score of 216.
The birdie was important for Umemura because she wasn't concerned so much about her huge lead as her own game. She had the word, FOCUS, printed on a scorecard. Also, "play your own game."
"That's what I kept reminding myself," said Umemura, who began the day with a seven-stroke lead.
Umemura also won the Jennie K. two years ago, when she was a high school sophomore. She played in last year's event at the par-73 Lanikai course after just recovering from a wrist injury that prevented her from defending her ILH girls' title, which she won again last week.
Now two years older, Umemura said she was still as nervous, maybe more so than during her more-contested victory in 1995. This time, though, her big lead had the rest of the championship field concentrating on second place.
Runner-up honors went to Kristel Kakugawa, who's making a golfing comeback at age 26. Playing in her first Jennie K., the former Iolani School and University of Hawaii golfer shot an 80 for a 237 total.
"I thought if I could shoot a 68, I might have a chance to catch Anna," said Kakugawa, who plans to take up the game seriously again after a long layoff.
"In my dreams. Reality is playing for second place. And it was a good race for second. I knew Anna wouldn't crack up. She's too good a player."
After bogeying the opening hole, Umemura birdied the third and fourth to make the turn at 1-under. She bogeyed 13, 14 and 17 before drilling her birdie that capped her runaway victory.
Her shot of the day was an 8-iron to within four inches of the pin at the 145-yard, par-3 fourth hole.
It also helped, she said, having as her caddy her good friend and classmate Parker McLachlin, an outstanding golfer headed for UCLA. Why did he?
"Because he wanted to. He's like my best friend. He relaxes me," said Umemura, who has accepted a golf scholarship at the University of Tennessee.
Jennie K. Wilson Invitational
At Mid-Pacific Country Club
Final round, leaders, par 73
Championship flight
Anna Umemura 75-75-74--224
Kristel Kakugawa 79-78-80--237
Kari Williams 81-77-80--238
Randi Sakihara 80-78-80--238
Christel Tomori 75-85-79--239
Loreen Kunisaki 77-82-81--240
Marie Miyashiro 80-84-82--246
Kalaya Bhaedhayajibh 82-81-83--246
Emi Anamizu 84-80-82--246
Keiki Dawn Izumi 88-85-80--253
Mahina Ah Yuen 88-79-87--254
Sherrie Sue 83-85-88--256
Akemi Matsumura 89-88-82--257
Pualani Daniels 86-86-88--260
Lani Batey 90-89-86--265
Gaylyn Kanada 90-93-82--265
Maureen Sapienza 88-90-94--272
Caryn Morita 83-80-84--247
Raena Uyeda 87-81-85--253
Tatsuko Kusunoki 84-88-81--253
Yuko Kawashita 88-87-83--258
Yayoi Sakakibara 85-88-87--260
Kathleen Sera 90-82-91--263
Kathy Ordway 89-87-88--264
Junko Eguchi 87-91-93--271
Sharon McClung 91-86-94--271
Chayne De Avanti 91-91-92--274
Sharon Yawata 91-92-94--277
Kelly Mau 94-88-96--278
Akie Takayanagi 94-93-92--279
Eileen Lum 93-92-95--280
Arlene Hirata 91-96-94--281
Takeko Worthley 94-93-97--284
Susan Awaya 98-94-94--286
Perla Busic 101-92-94--287
Stephanie Denis 102-92-94--288
Judy Wilks 100-90-99--289
Heather Moore 97-98-95--290
Kiyoko Tachibana 99-100-95--294
Sally Harper 93-104-103--300
Mae Rosen 100-99-101--300
Kula Akiu 99-102-100--301
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