BIIF Golf Season Opens at Waikoloa, Warriors and Outriders Lead Standings

Forty-two golfers from across the Big Island gathered at Waikoloa Village Course last Thursday under overcast skies and a slight warm breeze for the first BIIF match of the 2026 season, and Waiakea wasted no time asserting its standing as the team to beat.

Jake Otani set the tone for the Warriors with a 65 (-7), a round that included seven birdies and won the boys individual title by five strokes. His performance anchored Waiakea's collective team score of +4, good enough for an 18-stroke margin of victory over the rest of the boys field. On the girls side, Hilo claimed the team title with a score of +39.

The result is familiar territory for Waiakea, which has won back-to-back BIIF state championships and is chasing a three-peat this season. But head coach Alika Toledo knows the road ahead carries more uncertainty than recent title runs. "We're a young team this year, so there's always room for improvement," Toledo said. "We have three state champions on our current team, but we are a little behind the 8-ball."

The Warriors enter the season without two pillars of their previous championship rosters. Noah Otani, who finished in the top ten of the boys individual competition at states, left to play at UH-Hilo. Ryder Ng is now on the roster at Linfield University in McMinnville, Oregon. Their departures leave Waiakea without any seniors on the current squad, according to Toledo.

The Otani family's connection to Big Island golf runs deep. Jake and Noah's older sister, Elle Otani, plays for the UH-Hilo Vulcans women's golf team, a program ranked among the top ten in the most recent NCAA Division II West poll. A player identified only as Park in available records also signed a letter of intent to join the UH-Hilo program. Park recorded five top-five BIIF meet finishes this season, including two first-place finishes, shooting rounds of 68 at Hilo Municipal and 67 at Waikoloa Village. "I'm just looking forward to playing golf," Park said of the commitment.

The stretch run of the BIIF season comes quickly. The final regular-season match is scheduled at Kohanaiki Golf Club, followed by the BIIF championships at Hualalai Resort. The HHSAA State Championships for girls are set for May 9-10, with the boys competition to follow two days later.