When you’re a heavy hitter off the tee like Hilo’s Pono Yanagi, par-5 holes provide an opportunity to make a move.
Yanagi figures he can launch a long drive, hit an approach and then try to get up and down for birdie, knowing full well a par is acceptable.
And then there are holes such as No. 14 at Hokulia on Wednesday. Forget up and down, Yanagi buried an eagle and surged ahead when the leader melted down on No. 17, claiming the Hawaii State Junior Golf Association championship in Kealakekua.
“I was lucky that the chip shot went my way,” said Yanagi, who closed with a second consecutive 2-under 70 to edge first-round leader Alex Kam by two shots.