By JOE FERRARO
Stephens Media
KOHALA COAST — Ryley Chong didn’t know his 3-foot downhill par putt on the 18th hole gave him a championship. Or that he overcame an eight-shot deficit to get his title.
“I gave it my best,’’ the Konawaena junior said Thursday after the final round of the Big Island Interscholastic Federation individual golf championships. “If things didn’t fall in the right direction, I gave it my best.’’
It turned out Chong’s best — an even-par 72 — was better than that of any other BIIF competitor, and it gave him a one-shot victory over Hawaii Prep’s Andrew Paisley at a Mauna Kea Golf Course that challenged golfers with its fast, slippery greens.
Waiakea junior Ciera Min also came from behind to win, carding a 6-over 78 and erasing a four-stroke deficit to beat teammate Andi Igawa by 11 strokes.
Chong said he didn’t know he’d won the boys title until he turned in his scorecard to BIIF officials after his round.
The championship also marked Chong’s first victory of the season. In six regular-season tournaments, Chong finished runner-up to 2011 BIIF champion Chad Suzuki on April 17 and recorded two third-place finishes.
“Hard work pays off eventually,’’ said Chong, who finished the 54-hole tournament at 10-over 226. “It felt good.’’
Paisley shot a 75 and ended at 227 while Suzuki carded an 81 and finished three strokes back at 229.
Chong broke a three-way tie for first place with one of his five birdies — a 20-footer on the par-5 17th hole — before securing his victory with his par putt on No. 18.
Chong entered the final round six strokes back, and he fell behind by eight after a double bogey on the par-3 seventh. He then birdied three of his next three holes to gain momentum, with all three of his birdie putts coming from within 15 feet.
However, Suzuki still held a five-stroke lead over Chong and a six-stroke advantage over Paisley after playing the first 14 holes at 1 over. He carded three birdies along the way, including one on the par-4 fourth in which his approach shot landed on the back of the green and spun to within 2 feet.
Then disaster struck for the Waiakea senior, who hit his drive into the right-side bunker on the par-3 15th and took three shots to get the ball out of the sand trap. Suzuki then five-putted for a 9.
After the tournament, Suzuki said a handful of his victories in BIIF competition came at the expense of golfers who posted “big numbers” on single holes, which made Thursday’s misfortune easier to shrug off.
“It can just change on one hole,’’ Suzuki said. “That’s golf.’’
Paisley parred the 15th, and Chong made bogey, setting up a three-way tie at the top.
Paisley, the BIIF runner-up the past three seasons, had his own adventures on the par-4 second, when he hooked his drive into a gulley. The ball landed behind a rock, and it took Paisley three shots to get on the green, leading to a triple bogey.
However, Paisley was pleased with his round after shooting an 83 in the second round of the BIIF tournament, which took place Tuesday at the The Club at Hokulia.
Paisley collected five birdies on Thursday, included a sharp-breaking 25-footer on the par-4 first hole.
A 20-foot birdie putt on No. 15 went around the left edge of the cup and lipped out.
“I felt like I could have made a lot more (birdies),’’ Paisley said.
Despite an impressive victory, Min had similar thoughts on Thursday, bemoaning two three-putts on the 11th and 13th holes.
Min, who carded two birdies and finished at 16-over 232, said she was content with her first BIIF girls title, but her attention quickly turned to the Hawaii High School Athletic Association state tournament, which takes place May 2-3 at Kauai’s Waialua Golf Club.
Min and the rest of the Warriors’ team, which includes Igawa, 2010 BIIF champion Nani Yanagi and Megan Kimura, will board a plane for Kauai on Saturday.
“For us to win states, I know I need to be better than this,’’ Min said.
Min played the first seven holes at 2 over — good enough to take a one-shot lead over Igawa, who then triple-bogeyed the par-5 eighth hole en route to a 93 and three-day total of 243.
The sophomore said she was disappointed with her final round but remained upbeat about the improvement since finishing a freshman season in which she regularly carded rounds in the 90s.
This season, Igawa won one BIIF tournament, finished runner-up in another and recorded three third-place finishes.
“(Being BIIF runner-up) means a lot to me, honestly,’’ Igawa said. “Even to be close to winning, I’m blessed.’’
The Warriors will head to Kauai without 2011 BIIF champion Shaina Mizusawa, who failed to qualify for the BIIF individual championships because she did not meet the league’s mandatory three-tournament participation requirement.
That doesn’t discourage Yanagi, who finished third at 246 after a final-round 78 in which she was at even par through 14 holes.
“I think we have a great chance to win states,’’ she said.
Thursday, final round
Mauna Kea Resort
Par 72
Girls
Ciera Min, Waiakea, 78—232
Andi Igawa, Waiakea, 93—243
Nani Yanagi, Waiakea, 78—246
Megan Kimura, Waiakea, 87—250
Kiana Lumanlan, Kamehameha, 98—265
Amanda Loeffler, Hilo, 97—279
Tiara Inoue, St. Joseph, 104—293
Taylor Kaaihili, Kamehameha, 120—328
Annie Sadamoto, Hilo, 124—332
Boys
Ryley Chong, Konawaena, 72—226
Andrew Paisley, Hawaii Prep, 75—227
Chad Suzuki, Waiakea, 81—229
Kris Ishibashi, Waiakea, 82—237
Hoeueu Greenwell, Kona, 83—239
Jake Siebert, HPA, 86—242
Davin Yagi, Hilo, 80—244
Rayce Bento, Hilo, 86—251
Cody Pereira, Kamehameha, 85—256
Brent Nikaitani, Kona, 84—261
Steve Kim, Kealakehe, 88—262
Casey Nakatsu, Hilo, 92—264
Evan Kasberg, Parker, 97—275
