One of UH-Hilo’s more successful programs the past decade might have finally gotten its mojo back.
Jared Kinoshita helped the magic return after feeling it all week at Waikoloa King’ Course.
The senior golfer entered with only one career triumph to date, but Kinoshita and company finished the fall season with a flurry Wednesday when UHH claimed the Dennis Rose Intercollegiate for the first time since 2014 behind Kinoshita’s final-round 68 and a school record-breaking 11-under 205.
“The field was much better than my last win,” said Kinoshita, who won the Hawaii Challenge as a freshman at 4-over. “It’s safe to say I’m much more proud of this win.
“And to top it off, we won as team, which has not been done in the four years I’ve been here.”
UHH junior Taylor Patrick closed with a second consecutive 68 and a 7-under 216 to give the Vulcans a 1-2 finish.
The Vuls have won Dennis Rose five times in the 12-year history of the event, and Kinoshita became the fifth Vulcans medalist and first since Dalen Yamauchi in 2014.
The victories will reverberate on the mainland as well.
“This is pretty big for us in terms of the regional rankings,” coach Earl Tamiya said in a school release. “We hadn’t played close to our potential thus far. This week, Jared and Taylor certainly showed what they are capable of.”
Kinoshita started with a school-record tying 65 on Monday, and he finished with a three-round record all to his own. Nick Mason finished 10-under at the 2005 Pacific West Conference championships.
“I was much more confident today than I was yesterday (72),” Kinoshita said. “Yesterday I had the feeling of following up my 65 with a solid and respectable round. Today, my intentions were going for the win.
“After I made birdie on 9, I didn’t know (where) anybody else was, but I was confident I had extended my lead big enough I (could) play a little more conservative and just make pars coming down the stretch.”
At 7-under 857, the Vuls finished seven shots clear of No. 2 Western Washington, and they also outpaced two others teams who figure to be in the postseason mix: No. 7 Sonoma State (1-over) was third and No. 6 Dixie (15-over) was seventh in the 14-team field.
Freshman Andrew Otani closed with a 77 but was still third for UHH at 6-over in 25th. Warren Miller (final-round 82, 12-over) and Evan Merrier (75, 18-over) also contributed for the Vuls.
“This was a great week for us,” Tamiya said. “We have a long way to go but now have very attainable goals to work toward of contending for the Pacific West Conference championship and qualifying for the (NCAA West/South Regional Tournament).”
UHH will be back at Waikoloa in February for the Amer Ari Intercollegiate.
Along with appreciating his coaches, Kinoshita said, “I just want to thank everybody that is involved with the UH-Hilo men’s golf program and has helped me since my freshmen year. The boosters and everybody that help at our tournaments do so much and without their help there wouldn’t be a tournament.”