LITCHFIELD PARK, Ariz.--University of Hawai`i Hilo and Hawai`i Pacific have faced each other in eight tournaments this season, but none was more important or as it turned out, crazier than this one at the 2022 Pacific West Conference Championships.
Trailing the Sharks by ten strokes heading into Wednesday's final round, the Vulcans rallied furiously over the final three holes and then watched Hawaii Pacific fall back to them to force a team playoff at the Wigwam Golf Course. In that one-hole playoff, the Sharks righted the ship and claimed a 17-19 win over UHH to gain the PacWest's automatic berth to the NCAA West/South Central Regional Tournament in Pueblo, Colorado, May 5-7.
It was the second consecutive year that the Vulcans have come oh-so-close. In 2021, they finished in second place just two shots behind champion Academy of Art. For Hawai`i Pacific, it is their first-ever PacWest title in men's golf.
"We gave it a good run," said Vulcan head coach
Earl Tamiya. "I am proud of the way these boys battled back after a very difficult second round."
Tamiya's team opened the three-day tournament tied for first (293) but then had a disastrous round of 311 on Tuesday. Today, the Vulcans had the low score of the day (295), seven shots better than any of the other six squads. As a team, they were even-par over the final three holes while the Sharks were nine-over. Both squads were at +35 for the tournament heading into the playoff hole.
When all was said and done, it was one of the closest tournaments in PacWest history. Third place Dominican and Holy Names were both just four shots back of the Vulcans and Sharks at +39. Academy of Art (+53) would finish in fifth and Chaminade (+64) was sixth.
Keita Okada of HPU defended his 2021 men's title, leading nearly from start to finish (69-71-74). With his two-under par score, he finished four shots ahead of second-place Edvin Backstrom of Holy Names (+2). Franko and Otani tied for third with +5 scores.
Franko had three birdies on the front nine during his stellar round of 72. Otani birdied hole four and perhaps most importantly No. 18 to card his 74. But it had to be a total team effort of course with
Keith Ng shooting 74,
Nicholas Gomez a 75 and
Noah Lau checked in at 76. Ng had a birdie at 17, as did Gomez.
Heading into the tournament, the Vulcans were not ranked in the regional top ten and likely will not be able to secure an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament.
THIRD ROUND TEAM SCORES
THIRD ROUND INDIVIDUAL SCORES
