Leo Saito places third at state boys golf championships

St. Joseph freshman Leo Saito’s third-place finish at the 2026 David Ishii Golf State Championships gave the Big Island its clearest individual breakthrough at Kaneohe Klipper, but the bigger takeaway was the county-wide depth behind him. BIIF sent 18 boys into the field on Oahu, and two more Big Island programs, Waiakea and Kealakehe, finished among the state’s top three teams.

Saito closed the boys tournament with a 150 total, six over par, after rounds of 74 and 76. That left him tied for third with Kihei Charter’s Lakota Lee and made him the top BIIF finisher. Punahou’s Bret Kiyuna won the individual title with a 147, while Kalaheo’s Quade Martinez took second at 149. Saito also carded five birdies over the two-day event, keeping pace with the best players in the state.

The freshman’s state result followed an even more impressive run through the BIIF season. Saito won the island individual championship the previous month with a 140, opening with a 67 and finishing at 73 to beat Waiakea senior Jake Otani by one stroke. That BIIF title came after Saito had won his final three matches, a run that set him up as the Big Island’s most dangerous scorer before the team boarded for Oahu.

Otani again finished near the top of the board at states, tying for sixth at 151 after rounds of 78 and 73. The result capped a season in which he placed in the BIIF top three six times, including two victories, and it helped the Warriors finish second in the team standings. Waiakea’s state pedigree made the result stand out even more, coming after back-to-back state titles in 2023 and 2024 and a third-place finish in 2025.

Kealakehe also reinforced the island’s standing, finishing third as a team behind Waiakea. The Waveriders were led by Malakai Akeo, who placed 10th individually with a 154. His opening-round 73 and steady play through the rest of the meet kept Kealakehe in the medal hunt and added another Big Island name to the top 10.

Taken together, the results pointed to more than a single strong week. With a freshman like Saito finishing third, Otani and Akeo delivering again, and both Waiakea and Kealakehe on the team podium, BIIF boys golf looked like a program base that is broadening rather than shrinking.