UH-Hilo’s golf teams didn’t finish with roses, but there were hints of promise as they finished their falls seasons at Waikoloa.
Sophomore Andrew Otani fired a career-best 67 to finish in fifth place at the Dennis Rose Intercollegiate on the Kings’ Course. His 5-under was the best score posted in Wednesday’s third round, getting him to 1-under for the tournament.
The Vulcans chipped nine strokes off their Tuesday round and they were 16 shots better than they were on Monday (303-296-287). At 22-over, UHH was one stroke out of a tie for fourth place with Western Washington and Concordia among 16 teams.
Sonoma State was the runaway winner at 1-under, 14 shots better than UC San Diego and Cal State Monterey Bay.
UHH sophomore Evan Merrier had the third-best round of the day, a career-best 69, and he was 14-over, while UHH’s Warren Miller shot a 72 to finish 4-over and in tie for 13th.
Cal State Monterey Bay’s Elis Svard, ranked third nationally, closed with a 70 and took home medalist honors at 9-under.
In the women’s tournament on the Beach Course, UHH trimmed 18 strokes off its second round score and freshman Michelle Kim finished tied for 12th, closing with a season-best 74 to card a 16-over for 54 holes. Sophomore Kaelyn Uchida, a Waiakea alum and the first-day leader, shot 76 and tied for 19th at 19-over.
The Vulcans stayed in eighth of 12 teams as Concordia (Ore.) took the team title at 46-over, posting a four-shot win over Sonoma State.
Concordia’s Cammie Decker and Isabel Carpenter of Cal State Monterey Bay shared co-medalist honors at 4-over.
The next Vulcans were freshmen Tia Kualii (78, 30-over) Taryn Taguma (78, 36-over), while Kiri Oshiro fired a career-best 76.
