Waiakea’s Kiersten Saludares and Elle Otani played well enough to stay in striking distance, but there was little room error with the way Punahou junior Raya Nakao was carving up Ka‘anapali Kai.
Waiakea’s Kiersten Saludares and Elle Otani played well enough to stay in striking distance, but there was little room error with the way Punahou junior Raya Nakao was carving up Ka‘anapali Kai.
Nakao carded a bogey-free 3-under 67 on Friday, taking a two-shot lead into the final round of the HHSAA girls golf championships on Maui.
Mid-Pacific senior Eunice Han was at 69, and BIIF champion Saludares was one of three players at 71, one shot ahead of Otani, herself in a tie with two other players.
“Kiersten and Elle both left a couple shots out there,” Warriors girls coach Bobby Perreira said. “They did play well, and that has put them in a good position for tomorrow.”
Waiakea was never going to have enough depth to defend its team title from 2019, but, as expected, Saludares and Otani gave the Warriors two contenders for individual gold.
But they have work to do.
While Nakao birdied Nos. 4, 8 and 13, Saludares bogeyed two holes on the front nine to make the turn at 1-over, then bogeyed Nos. 11 and 13 before birdies on 15 and 17 steadied her round. Otani’s score reached as high as 4-over after a fourth bogey on 13, but she also made birdie on 15 and 17.
