Cole Kim climbed the leaderboard to take the lead in the Boys Division today
KALAUAO, O‘AHU The second day of competition is often called “moving day,” and today lived up to that at Pearl at Kalauao. Tradewinds picked up later in the afternoon, making scoring conditions more challenging, and few players finished under par.
Bella Ransi of El Dorado Hills now shares her lead with Alyssa Rigby of Vancouver, WA at +3 through 36-holes. Ransi commented on the day, “I just wanted to focus on one shot at a time during the round. The greens are really undulating and hold pretty firm, so I wanted to try and give myself some uphill putts.” She added, “On 17, I laid up with my wood today (since yesterday I sprayed my driver on that hole) and then used 6-iron to go for the green. I was able to make about a 6-foot putt for birdie.”
This is Ransi’s second trip to Hawai‘i. She and her family have a zipline tour and surf lessons planned after competition wraps up, making the most of their time on O‘ahu.
Alyssa Rigby was one of only two players in the girls’ division who shot under par today. Carding a 69, she made two birdies and an eagle on the par 5 17th hole. Rigby has finished top 5 in the last three AJGA starts but is looking to capture her first win.
Hawaii’s own Keelee Nogawa slipped a few spots today and is T6 going into the final round, with fellow Hawaii-born Makena Yonemura one spot up from Nogawa in 5th. Nogawa, who is a freshman at Punahou School, noted about today’s round, “I was a little nervous going into today – I just tried to replicate yesterday but my putting was not as good. I think the greens were rolling faster so tomorrow, I will just try and stay focused, keep myself in the fairway and out of trouble.”
Cole Kim of Fullerton CA started and ended his round today with a set of birdies and sits at -1 after 36-holes, one shot ahead of first-round leader, Brady Neal, Keane Taino and Branden Wong (T2). Kim is currently ranked No. 266 in the Rolex AJGA standings, with two top-10 finishes earlier this year. Taino (T2) and Hill Wang were the only two male competitors under par today.
The final round tee times begin at 7:30AM HT, with walking spectators welcome.
2025 Imperial Hawaii Junior Classic at Pearl at Kalauao
Dates: Saturday, October 11 – Monday October 13
Venue: Pearl at Kalauao
Location: Kalauao, O‘ahu
Yardage (Par): 6,955 (72)
Format: Three days; 18 holes each day; stroke play
All Scores: Imperial Hawaii Junior Classic at Pearl at Kalauao – 2025 Leaderboard
About Pearl at Kalauao
Pearl at Kalauao, like a precious momi (pearl), is a hidden gem in O‘ahu’s golfing landscape, offering breathtaking views from Pu‘uloa to the Wai‘anae Mountains. Established in 1967 as the Francis H. ‘Ī‘ī Brown Golf and Country Club and later transitioning to Pearl Country Club in 1975, it has long welcomed both kama‘āina and visitors. Today, the course continues its legacy with new enhancements, including upgraded clubhouse amenities and short-game practice facilities. Pearl at Kalauao remains committed to sustainable stewardship of the ‘āina, fostering a connection to the land that benefits both the environment and the wider community. Learn more at www.pearlatkalauao.com. Pearl at Kalauao is managed by Indigo Sports, a Troon company. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., Troon is the world’s largest golf and golf-related hospitality management company providing services at 940-plus locations worldwide. For additional news and information, visit www.Troon.com.
About Imperial
Founded in 1916, Imperial Headwear is the leading manufacturer of premium quality headwear, apparel, and accessories for the golf market. Imperial’s products can be found at 99 of the Top 100 and over 75% of the Top 400 golf courses in the United States, and they were voted the #1 headwear brand for private and resort golf facilities for six consecutive years by the Association of Golf Merchandisers (AGM) and reported as the “#1 headwear brand in the combined on and off course retail golf channels in 2022” by Golf Datatech. Imperial is committed to style, functionality, and perfection in fit and comfort. It is this commitment that has allowed the creation of a wide variety of headwear and apparel with quality that is second to none.
Renowned for its superior customer service and art customization capabilities, Imperial offers its products using the most innovative fabrics and designs, as well as logo decoration and embellishment technologies. For further information please visit imperial1916.com. Follow Imperial Headwear on X and Instagram at @ImperialHats and Facebook.com/ImperialHeadwear.
About the AJGA
The American Junior Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the overall growth and development of young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf. The AJGA provides valuable exposure for college golf scholarships and has an annual junior membership (boys and girls, ages 12-19) of more than 9,000 members from 50 states and 51 foreign countries. Through initiatives like the Liberty National ACE Grant, a financial assistance program, and Leadership Links, a service-oriented platform that teaches juniors charitable-giving skills, the AJGA fosters the growth of golf’s next generation.
TaylorMade and adidas are the AJGA’s Global Sponsors, supporting the AJGA for more than 25 years. TaylorMade has served as the Official Ball of the AJGA since 2016. adidas has been the Official Apparel and Footwear of the AJGA since 2017. Rolex, in its fourth decade of AJGA sponsorship, became the inaugural AJGA Premier Partner in 2004.
AJGA alumni have risen to the top of amateur, collegiate and professional golf. Former AJGA juniors have compiled more than 1,000 victories on the PGA TOUR and LPGA Tour. AJGA Alumni include Patrick Cantlay, Billy Horschel, Collin Morikawa, Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Tiger Woods, Paula Creamer, Jessica Korda, Nelly Korda, Cristie Kerr, Stacy Lewis, Inbee Park, Lexi Thompson and Rose Zhang.
Media Contact:
Ed Kageyama
(808) 487-2460
ekageyama@pearlatkalauao.com
