Last year, Alexa Takai watched her freshman dream of winning the girls golf individual state title slip away in the final round. This season, the Punahou sophomore turned the script around in dramatic fashion.
Facing a four-stroke deficit on Wednesday, Takai stormed back with a blistering 4-under par 68 to claim the crown at the David Ishii/HHSAA Girls Golf State Championships, held at Kaneohe Klipper Golf Course. Her two-day total of 74-68 left her at 2-under par for the tournament, a testament to her resilience and skill under pressure.
Takai’s comeback was powered by a steady hand—she carded a 34 on both the front and back nine, showing no signs of the setback that had plagued her just a week earlier. At the ILH championships, she withdrew after one round due to a cyst on the back of her right hand. "Just having that in the back of her head, for her to play through it, that was huge," said Punahou coach Ian Parrish. "She really turned it on since the beginning of the season. She’s heading in the right direction and culminated it with a great round."
The victory wasn’t just personal—it powered Punahou to a historic three-peat in the team standings. Alongside teammates Samantha Monroe and Keelee Nogawa, the Buffanblu posted a two-round tally of 438. OIA champion Mililani, tied with Punahou after the first round, finished second at 449.
Day two brought gusty conditions that tested every golfer. One coach noted that the wind shifted directions on No. 11, and players reported swirling breezes with extra force. For Takai, it was just another challenge to overcome. "It was maybe a little swirlier than yesterday. It was nothing we haven’t played before," she said with confidence.
The final round turned into a thrilling duel. Monroe, a junior, traded blows with the leaders through the front nine, and for a moment, both she and Takai caught up to Mililani senior Kady Matsumoto. The lead changed hands multiple times—Monroe led, then Takai, and Matsumoto briefly regained the advantage on the back nine. But Takai saved her best for last, sinking birdies on Nos. 14, 16, and 17 to seal the win.
"When you’re that far back, you can’t really get conservative," Takai explained. "I didn’t check the scoreboard. The coaches kind of told me. I kind of gave it a run on the back nine. I knew that it was really close. I was told that I was one behind at one point."
Monroe, despite a double bogey on No. 10 and bogeys on Nos. 15 and 18, finished strong at 73-74 (3-over par) and played a key role in the team’s success. "We were both in a good area to strike. We weren’t in the leader group (after one round), so we’re not really paying attention to what others are shooting," Monroe said. "We can really focus on ourselves. There’s a lot of solid girls out here, so stay calm and shoot our best."
Takai becomes Punahou’s first girls state champion since 2023, when Raya Nakao won the second of her back-to-back titles. For a sophomore who faced early adversity, this comeback victory is a powerful reminder that in golf—and in life—it’s not how you start, but how you finish.