Golf: All four junior world qualifiers from Hilo are familiar faces

Kauai today, San Diego tomorrow.

Pono Yanagi, Lacey Uchida, Dysen Park and Jake Otani are used to the drill by know.

All four Hilo golfers qualified for the junior world championships Tuesday on Kauai, securing a summer trip to the mainland that has become customary for each.

• Yanagi advanced to junior worlds – slated for July 10-14 in San Diego – in the top division, carding consecutive even-par 72s to finish fifth in a crowded leaderboard in boys 15-18. Honolulu’s Evan Kawai closed with a 67 at Wailua Golf Course to finish at 4-under to take medalist honors.

Hilo High’s Riley Kaneshiro also shot a 72 on Tuesday in the second round of qualifying to finish 11th at 5-over 149.

Yanagi, set to be a junior a Kamehameha-Hawaii, last played at junior worlds in 2015.

• Uchida secured her first berth since 2014 with rounds of 78 and 79 producing an 11-over 157, good enough for a fourth-place finish in girls 13-14. She was only four shots off the pace.

Hilo’s Kailey Oki (21-over 167) and Chanelle Hwang (32-over 178) placed 11th and 16th, respectively.

• Park must know San Diego inside and out. He was third in boys 11-12 to earn his sixth trip, combining an 81 and a 78. While Park was just off stroke second at 13-over, Honolulu’s Joshua Chung handled the course at 1-under.

Hilo’s Aukahi Lapera came in at 3o-over.

• Otani secured a berth for the second consecutive year with a runner-up finish in boys 9-10 after consecutive 82s.

• Also failing to qualify from the Big Island were Kaley Saludares (8-over), Kaelyn Uchida (13-over) and Mari Ebersole (17-over), who all golf for Waiakea, in girls 15-18; Waiakea’s Isaiah Kanno (12-over) and Aidan Oki (17-over) and Keaau native Dillon Ah Chong (24-over) in boys 13-14.