Tadd Fujikawa, the Maui Open, and Kahili Golf Course
The 1st green at Kahili Golf Course
The 2009 Kahili Maui Open was won by Hawaiian superstar Tadd Fujikawa, who forged a 3-under 69 in the final round to win by three strokes. The Maui Open has been held since 1952, and was one of the premier events on the Aloha circuit, until its five-year hiatus, which ended with last year’s Kahili Maui Open.
Fujikawa began the day tied for fourth place, after a first-round 73. He moved ahead amidst heavy trade winds that reached 35 mile-per-hour gusts. Fujikawa shot a 33 on the front, but missed birdie putts on four, five, six, seven, and eight. His 36 on the back clinched the victory over Andrew Feldman from Oahu Country Club.
I got a chance to play Kahili the day after the tournament, and was treated to the fine conditions that the pros played. The course was in top shape, and was a pleasure to play. The trade winds were howling,
#18 and the clubhouse at Kahili
as usual, which hurts your golf only when you’re playing into them. Conversely, they move your ball down the fairway like the hand of god when you’re teeing off with the winds at your back. It was my first time back at Kahili since the beginning of The Golf Fanatic’s Guide to Hawaii, and my wind play has improved. After battling Hawaiian winds on the golf course three or four days a week for two-and-a-half months, I was able to start to figure it out: shorten the back swing, finish low, swing easy.
It was a blue-bird day (much prettier than the day we photographed the course for the book), and nothing could suppress our pleasure to be back on Maui and playing a course with such fine views over the valley, from the north shore to Haleakala to Kihei and Wailea. Awesome.
Mahalo to Brad Bowen and Keola at Kahili!
-Bryan Fryklund
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July 2nd, 2009 at 7:38 pm
[...] I mentioned here a few weeks ago, I’m a big fan of the economically priced Kahili Golf Course located in central Maui. The [...]