09 Jun 2019 Ka’anapali Classic – Pro Pro Championship Sponsored by E-Z-GO and Golf Concepts

The 2019 Ka’anapali Classic – Pro Pro Championship sponsored by E-Z-GO and Golf Concepts tee’ed off Saturday, June 8 on the Royal Course, with golf professionals from across the state competing for the title and share of the $5,000+ purse. The 2-person better ball format played over 36 holes, followed by awards luncheon at Roy’s Ka’anapali.

Jared Sawada and Jason Jakovac fired 63-63-126 to earn top honors in the with eight birdies both days, they had a clean scorecard for 36 holes and will take home $2,200 of the $10,000 purse.

Sawada who just came off two years with the Mackensie Tour (Canada), recently won the 2019 Big Island Invitational and qualified in for the 2019 SONY Open in January. Jakovac won the Pro-Assistant Championship and is the Head Professional at Hoakalei Country Club on Oahu.

“We played in the Ka’anapali event three years ago and then I was in Canada the last few years, so it was good to be back here playing together,” said Sawada. As for their round today, Jakovac stated, “We started off a little slow and had a few hiccups, but we had each other’s back and finished really strong on the back nine,” carding five birdies in the last nine holes.

They didn’t know it at the time, but it was the last few holes that would set Sawada and Jakovac apart from the pack. On the 16th hole with a tucked pin, “I knew we had to hit the fairway and be in a good place in order to give ourselves a chance,” said Sawada. Jakovac missed a five footer for birdie, but Sawada drained his 12 foot downhill putt. Then on 17 it was Jakovac that would hit his tee shot to within a foot of the hole and spun back to four feet – he made the putt to seal the deal.

Alex Ching and Todd Rego were one of three teams T2 at 128 today at Ka’anapali. In the first round, Ching eagled the par 5 6th hole and it was Rego who eagled it. Ching, who just returned to the islands after playing golf on the mainland stated he was “glad to be back home.” The team was 64-64-128 and take home $1,233 between them.

Rego said, “We got really fired up after the 5th hole today and said to ourselves, we need to GO!” Ching added, “With no wind out there today and conditions were perfect on the course, we knew we had to go
low – it was pretty scoreable out there.” After their sole blemish (bogey) on the 5th hole, they went eagle, birdie, par, birdie and then another three birdies on the back nine. “Yesterday, I felt like I was more the
cheerleader because Alex’s game is so strong and he can make anything within 10 feet – today I helped out more and we made sure to give each other chances – we make a good team,” said Rego.

Maui’s Cassy Isagawa and Jake Grodzinsky shot 65-63-128 this weekend to share in second place. “Our strategy was to just go out and have fun this weekend, enjoy each other’s company and not be too hard on
ourselves,” Isagawa stated as they both laughed. Grodzinsky added, “We got off to a slow start today with some pars but then Cassy made a birdie on 4 and then we started to make some more.”

Cassy’s drive on the 4th hole was in the rough a bit but had a good lie which she then hit to about 10 feet. “I felt good standing over the putt, I was confident about it, even though I knew it was a tough downhill
left to right putt,” stated Isagawa. She added, “I really wanted to make it for my team and contribute a birdie at that point, we needed it.”

As a team, Grodzinsky and Isagawa heated up on their back nine with Grodzinsky having only 11 putts on the last 9-holes, including an eagle on the 9th. He had a solid drive and then hit an 8-iron to the flag to
about two feet, making the eagle putt look pretty easy.
2018 Champions Eliot Gouveia and Eric Dugas shot 66-62-128 and also took home $1,233 to share second place.

Event sponsor, Jay Hinazumi, owner of Golf Concepts (Oahu) spoke at the awards reception, “I want congratulate the winners and to thank everyone who played this weekend for their support of Golf Concepts – without that, we wouldn’t have the wherewithal to be able to give back to the (PGA) section events and be involved throughout the year, so thank you.”

For full list of scores, please visit. https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/5355306091041304627