The third match of the 2026 BIIF golf season took place Wednesday at Waikoloa Kings Course. The island golfers returned to the west side after competing at Hilo Muni in the last contest on March 9.
The Waiakea boys won their third team competition of the season with a cumulative score of 313 (+29), beating second-place finisher Kealakehe by 14 strokes.
Warriors’ No. 1 golfer Jake Otani led the winners with a strong round, tying for first overall with the Waveriders’ Malakai Akeo after carding a 75 (+4). For the senior’s high standards, Otani struggled on the front nine — shooting a 39 after carding two double bogeys and a bogey. But the former state champion quickly bounced back on the back nine, shooting a more-consistent 36.
Otani returned to the top of the individual leaderboard after tying for fifth at Hilo Muni. In the March 5 season-opening match at Waikoloa Village Course, Otani won the field after shooting 65 (-7).
Akeo had an identical showing to Otani — shooting 39 on the front line and 36 on the back. Akeo struggled on Hole No. 4 after shooting 5-over par, but quickly redeemed himself with two birdies and four straight pars to close the front nine. On the back nine, Akeo clinched two birdies, a bogey, double bogey and five pars.
Akeo, Kealakehe’s No. 1 golfer, has finished in the top four in all three matches this season.
Tying in third in the boys field was St. Joseph’s Leo Saito and Waiakea’s Noah Miyazono, each carding 77 (+6). Miyazono finished with a 37 over the back nine — including securing four birdies — to bump his way into the top two.
Saito has finished in the top 3 in each match in 2026, while Miyazono has placed in at least the top six each time.
Rounding out the top five of the boys field was Skyler Miyashiro of the winning Warriors, who carded 79 (+8). Miyashiro, who won the March 9 match on the Hilo side, clinched a match-high 11 pars.
Hilo finished third in the boys field (+65), led by Iakona Manuia, who finished 10th after shooting 85 (+14). Kamehameha-91直播 placed fourth (+133), led by Diesel DeMello — who finished 11th overall with a score of 86 (+15).
The Waiakea girls team won their second straight match, accumulating a score of 265 (+52) — finishing ahead of second-place Hilo by 15 strokes. Warrior Jordyn Kawachi won her second individual match this season, carding an 84 (+13). Kawachi clinched 10 pars across the day — shooting an impressive 38 over the final nine holes.
Kawachi’s teammate, Madelyn Awaya, tied in second with Kealakehe’s Kaylee Palakiko and 91直播 Prep’s Chloe Nakagawa with a score of 87 (+16). Kawachi had the strongest back nine after shooting 38.
Hilo finished second in the girls contest with a score of 280 (+67). The Vikings were led by Lauren Kozohara, who rounded out the top-five individuals after carding an 89 (+18). Kozohara finished the round with three pars, and has placed in the top six in each of the three matches thus far.
KSH finished third with a team score of 309 (+96). The Warriors were heralded by Zaynie Chow, who carded a 100 (+29) to place 10th overall.
See Page 2B of today’s paper to view the full list of team and individual results. The next BIIF match will be held Wednesday at Kona Country Club.
