App State’s Zoe Duval, Sacramento State’s Emilia Schneider share individual lead at 3 under
KAUA‘I, Hawai‘i – Fueled by a commitment to community following Hurricane Lowell, the 30th Rainbow Wahine Invitational is helping amplify the message: “Kauaʻi Is Open with Aloha.”
Donation Link: 2026 Rainbow Wahine Invitational supports children affected by Hurricane Lowell
BYU and Eastern Michigan opened with team scores of 4-over to share the first-round lead on the Ocean Course at Hōkūala. Both teams hold a one-shot cushion over three-time Rainbow Wahine winner, Sacramento State (+3). App State (+8) and San Diego State (+9) are in fourth and fifth place. Kansas State (+10), Washington State (+12) and Nevada round out the top eight.
Tatum Otto eyes her tee shot on the par-3 8th hole on Oct. 19, 2026 on the Ocean Course at Hōkūala in Lihue, Kaua‘i.
BYU placed three players among the top-11 in the individual standings, led by freshman Tatum Otto, who is tied for fifth at 1-under. Senior María José “MJ” Barragán and freshman Kate Walker are tied for seventh at even par.
María José “MJ” Barragán holds her follow through on the par-3 8th hole on Oct. 19, 2026 on the Ocean Course at Hōkūala in Lihue, Kaua‘i.
Otto finished second in the 2025 Washington 3A state championship. Barragán won the 2025 USF Invitational and finished runner-up at the 2025 Women’s Mexico Amateur. Walker is a three-time Utah 4A state champion.
The Cougars arrived on Kauaʻi after recording consecutive top-five finishes to open the 2026-27 season.
Eastern Michigan was led by Karen Tsuru, who is tied for third at 2-under. Tsuru spent the previous three seasons at Oregon and was ranked the No. 11 recruit in the 2023 class.
Karen Tsuru observes her tee shot on the par-3 8th hole on Oct. 19, 2026 on the Ocean Course at Hōkūala in Lihue, Kaua‘i.
Three of the 14 teams in the field competed in the 2025-26 NCAA regional championships. Eastern Michigan was the only team among them to advance to the NCAA Championships, where the Eagles tied for third nationally.
Appalachian State sophomore Zoe Duval finished at 3-under to share the individual lead. Duval won the 2026 Babs Steffens Invitational in DeBary, Florida, and shared the title at the 2025 Terrier Intercollegiate in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
Zoe Duval watches her tee shot on the par-3 8th hole on Oct. 19, 2026 on the Ocean Course at Hōkūala in Lihue, Kaua‘i.
Sacramento State, which won the Rainbow Wahine Invitational in 2013, 2016 and 2019, was led by freshman Emilia Schneider. She carded five birdies to also finish at 3-under and share the individual lead. Schneider enters the second round looking to build on her runner-up finish at last month’s Kalispel Invitational in Washington.
Emilia Schneider watches her tee shot on the par-3 8th hole on Oct. 19, 2026 on the Ocean Course at Hōkūala in Lihue, Kaua‘i.
Host Hawaiʻi was led by sophomore Chloe Ku, who is tied for 28th at 4-over. The California-born player posted a career-low 54-hole score of 225 at last year’s Rainbow Wahine Invitational.
Chloe Ku follows her tee shot on the par-3 17th hole on Oct. 19, 2026 on the Ocean Course at Hōkūala in Lihue, Kaua‘i.
The 30th edition of the Rainbow Wahine Invitational began in true Aloha fashion. Ocean Course at Hōkūala marketing manager Hualani Duncan, merchandise manager Elise Guirao and PGA Director of Instruction Kellie Hines – all multigenerational natives of Kaua‘i – led players, coaches and spectators with a traditional Hawaiian sunrise chant, “E Ala E.” The blessing celebrated culture and community along one of America’s most stunning shorelines.
The E Ala E sunrise ceremony formally kicked off the 2026 Rainbow Wahine Invitational at the Ocean Course at Hōkūala on Oct. 18, 2026 in Lihue, Kaua‘i.
The second round begins on Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. HST. Attendance is free for walking spectators.
All team and individual scores can be found here: SCOREBOARD
Team Leaderboard
| Place | School | To Par | Rd. 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| T1 | Eastern Michigan | +4 | 292 |
| T1 | Brigham Young | +4 | 292 |
| 3 | Sacramento State | +5 | 293 |
| T4 | Appalachian State | +8 | 296 |
| T4 | San Diego State | +9 | 297 |
| 6 | Kansas State | +10 | 298 |
| 7 | Washington State | +12 | 300 |
| 8 | Nevada | +13 | 301 |
| T9 | Long Beach State | +14 | 302 |
| T9 | Tulane | +14 | 302 |
| 11 | Hawai‘i | +24 | 312 |
| 12 | Grand Canyon | +33 | 321 |
| 13 | Osaka Gakuin | +39 | 327 |
| 14 | Prairie View A&M | +47 | 333 |
Top Individuals
| Place | Player | School | To Par | Rd. 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T1 | Zoe Duval | Appalachian State | -3 | 69 |
| T1 | Emilia Schneider | Sacramento State | -3 | 69 |
| T3 | Kaitlyn Helm | Washington State | -2 | 70 |
| T3 | Karen Tsuru | Eastern Michigan | -2 | 70 |
| T5 | Alisa Pressley | Appalachian State | -1 | 71 |
| T5 | Tatum Otto | Brigham Young | -1 | 71 |
| T7 | Kylie Warner | San Diego State | E | 71 |
| T7 | Thitaree Visavapattamawan | Kansas State | E | 72 |
| T7 | Alyson Sor | Long Beach State | E | 72 |
| T7 | Maria Jose Barragan | Brigham Young | E | 72 |
| T7 | Kate Walker | Brigham Young | E | 72 |
| T12 | Payton Lovisa | Nevada | +1 | 73 |
| T12 | *Matilde Zocchi | Eastern Michigan | +1 | 73 |
| T12 | Amelia Garibaldi | San Diego State | +1 | 73 |
| T12 | Constanza Quiroga | Eastern Michigan | +1 | 73 |
*Competing as Individual
TOURNAMENT FACTS
Dates: October 19–21, 2026
Format: 54 holes; 18 holes each day; 5-count-4
Venue: Ocean Course at Hōkūala
Location: Lihu‘e, Kaua‘i
Yardage (Par): 6,039 (72)
Host: University of Hawai‘i
About Ocean Course at Hōkūala
Home to the longest continuous stretch of oceanfront holes in the state of Hawai‘i, the Ocean Course was named one of the “World’s Most Beautiful Golf Courses” by MSN Travel. The 18-hole golf course is part of Timbers Kaua‘i Ocean Club & Residences, a private residential club which opened in 2018 on the island’s southeast coast. Timbers Kaua‘i sits on a 450-acre natural amphitheater and offers unobstructed views of the Pacific Ocean, Kalapaki Bay and Hā‘upu Mountain Range. Website | Facebook | Instagram
About Troon
The Ocean Course at Hōkūala 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 locations in 45-plus states and 40-plus countries. In addition to private, daily fee, resort and municipal golf, Troon specializes in homeowner association management, private residence clubs, estate management and associated hospitality venues. Troon’s family of brands includes Troon Golf, Troon Privé, Troon International, Indigo Sports, CADDIEMASTER, ClubUp, Cliff Drysdale Management, Peter Burwash International, True Club Solutions, RealFood Hospitality, Strategy & Design and RF DesignStudio, ICON Management and Eventive Sports. For additional news and information, visit www.Troon.com.
Media Contact:
Pate Clarson – pclarson@golfhokuala.com
