Monday, May 18, 1998

Jennie K.
belongs to Anna U.

Umemura rallies to win the
women's golf tournament for the
third time in four years

By Bill Kwon
Star-Bulletin

You would have thought Christel Tomori would be the one breaking into tears after yesterday's final round of the Jennie K. Invitational golf tournament at the Mid-Pacific Country Club.

But it was the winner, Anna Umemura, who couldn't keep back the tears. She sank a three-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole to win her third Jennie K. championship in four years.

Umemura, who just completed her freshman year at the University of Tennessee, successfully defended her title by coming from four strokes behind to beat Tomori.

Umemura shot a final-round 75 to catch Tomori, who couldn't buy a birdie in finishing with a 79. Both finished the 54-hole tournament at 229, forcing only the third playoff in the tournament's 48-year history.

Kathy Cho, who won the Jennie K. two years ago as a Punahou School sophomore, finished third at 233 with a 78 yesterday. She'll attend the University of Hawaii this fall on a golf scholarship.

Tied for fourth at 235 were Kari Williams, the 1994 champion, and Mona Kim.

Tomori had a chance to put Umemura away on the final regulation hole, but missed a fast-breaking five-footer for par. Umemura then sank her 4-1/2-footer to tie.

"Coming back four strokes going into the last round is hard," Umemura said. "But anything can happen here, especially the last five holes, which are hard."

Tomori, a 1996 University of Oregon graduate from the Big Island, held a four-stroke lead over Umemura going into the par-3 14th. But after her drive found the right bunker, Tomori sailed her sand shot over the green. She pitched back long and couldn't get up and down.

Umemura three-putted for bogey, but still picked up two strokes.

Another bogey at 15 after a poor chip put Umemura three back. But Tomori's par putt at the par-5 15th lipped out, enabling Umemura to get a shot back.

She cut it to one with a 10-foot birdie putt at 17, and Tomori's bogey at 18 led to the first playoff since 1980, when Cindy Flom (Rarick) defeated Lori Castillo. The only other playoff came in 1977, when Althea Tome beat Lenore Muraoka (Rittenhouse).

Umemura and Tomori parred the first playoff hole with hardly textbook up-and-down saves. Both were just off the fringe on the short par-4. Tomori putted eight feet by and Umemura left her birdie try six feet short.

Umemura then won with the birdie at the par-4 second hole and celebrated in tearful fashion.

Her emotional response was partly out of frustration with the wind and Mid-Pac's fast greens.

"The putt at 17 was the longest I made the whole tournament," said Umemura, who one-putted her final four holes after a frustrating weekend of three-putts.

"I guess I made the clutch putts," said Umemura, who plans to try qualify for the U.S. Open and the U.S. Amateur this summer.

Tomori will try to qualify for the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship next month at Kapalua Bay. Then she intends to turn pro, playing on the Players West Tour in California before attempting the first stage of the LPGA Qualifying School in August.