HPU Athletics
Bill Powers
DuPONT, Wash. – Hawai’i Pacific University sophomore Keita Okada birdied his final hole in regulation, then birdied the playoff hole to win the individual title at the 2021 Saint Martin’s Invitational at The Home Course.
The defending PacWest Conference Champion, Okada from Tokyo, Japan/Bradenton, Fla. IMG Academy, fired a final round 2-under-par on the par 72, 6994-yard Home Course layout to finish the 54-hole affair at 7-under 209, the same as Western Washington’s Conrad Brown.
With the tournament playing a shotgun start, Okada was a stroke back when he teed it up at the par 5, 582-yard No. 5. Okada recorded a birdie 4. A few minutes earlier, Brown – who shot a 5-under 67 on Saturday – followed a bogey on No. 18 with a birdie on No. 1 as the pair finished tied.
They went to the par 5, 560-yard No. 10 for the playoff to determine the individual champion. Okada birdied the hole over Brown for the win. First round leader Ryan Feyrer of Grays Harbor CC finished third, a stroke back at 6-under 210 with a 1-over 73.
The win by Okada is his fourth individual tournament title in his last six tournaments dating back to last spring. The sophomore has finished top four or better in six of his eight career collegiate tournaments.
Okada’s round was a highlight but not the only strong performance for the Sharks as HPU posted a 294 in the final round to finish fourth with an 884, tied with Dominican.
Senior Ryan Torres of San Jose, Calif./Evergreen Valley fired an even-par 72 in the final round to tie junior teammate Keli’i Kamelamela-Dudoit of Ho’olehua, Hawai’i/Kamehameha-Kapalama at 224 in 33rd. Dudoit carded a 5-over 77 in the final round of action. Freshman Luke Shamblin of Matthews, N.C./Metrolina Christian posted a 3-over 75 to finish at 227, while freshman Tomoro Shimabukuro of Okinawa, Japan/Bradenton, Fla. IMG Academy recorded an 80 for a 54-hole total of 240.
Western Washington won the team competition at 14-under 850, while Simon Fraser was second at 2-under 862 and Western Washington won the team event with a 14-under 850 total score, with Simon Fraser at 862 and Lewis & Clark State (Idaho) with an 872. Hawai’i Hilo finished ninth at 889.
The Sharks remain in the Pacific Northwest as they are in action again on Monday and Tuesday, visiting the Loomis Trail Golf Course in Blaine, Wash., for the Western Washington Invitational.