Head Over Heels
Lawrence Tabudlo
Kamalani Miyamoto has a pretty good idea why she loves golf so much. It’s the sound.
Specifically, it’s the satisfying little plunk! the ball makes when dropping into the cup.
“I like putting,” states the youngster with a big smile. “It’s fun. I make a lot of putts.”
With her ninth birthday less than two weeks away, the Kamehameha Schools third-grader has already developed an appetite for one of the game’s most important skills. And she has turned that craving into a competitive advantage that goes beyond her island home.
Kamalani’s swing is as big as her smile, and she routinely drives the ball around 200 yards. She’s also collected enough eagles that her father, Keith Miyamoto, has created a special place to keep the evidence. Still, it’s on the greens where she really shines.
“She’s an incredible putter, but she also hits the ball really long,” says Kamalani’s proud papa. “Everybody drives the ball, but putting is what separates her from everyone else.”
That combination helped Kamalani deliver a breakthrough performance this past summer as she won the girls division of the Under Armour Junior Tour World Championship in Kissimmee, Florida. She was the only player in her division to finish below par (3 under).
For a youngster who took her first private golf lesson at age 5 and is obviously still learning the finer points of the game, it was quite an accomplishment.
Naturally, Kamalani was super delighted.
“I felt proud and excited,” she says.
Then again, winning is only part of her story. For Kamalani, golf is also about making friends and finding the next opportunity to do something else she loves.
Of course, if she happens to sink an amazing putt along the way, even better.
Consider the albatross.
In golf, an albatross (also called a double eagle) is a rare feat. For most golfers, it’s something they might spend a lifetime chasing.
Kamalani has already made one.
Playing the third hole at Royal Kunia Golf Club, she hit a ball from approximately 150 yards away that found its way into the cup. The remarkable moment was captured on video, although the young golfer could not see the white object disappear into the hole from where she stood.
She knew she had hit it thin — catching the ball in a way that sent it rolling rather than flying through the air.
“It doesn’t go in the air and land. It rolls,” she explains, demonstrating a mature understanding of the shot that belies her age.
Her father has witnessed plenty of those moments. Since she began golfing, Kamalani has recorded 30 eagles, and Keith has saved every one of these balls. They are displayed in a little acrylic box, a growing collection of memories from a young career already filled with them.
Another memorable shot came at the U.S. Kids Golf World Championship in July. On a par-3 hole measuring about 63 yards, Kamalani’s shot landed short and rolled toward the cup, stopping oh so close to a hole-in-one. She simply smiled and settled for a birdie.
Many golfers would be happy with a similar result. For Kamalani, who’s captured 19 of 22 tournaments she’s played in this year, it was another near-miss shot to add to her growing collection of stories.
Kamalani’s world championship victory was especially meaningful because of how she earned it.
Competing against girls from across the country, she arrived as an unknown commodity. Her parents say the family initially felt like outsiders in a close-knit junior golf community.
But rather than forcing her way into the collective, Kamalani simply let her play do the talking.
“She was the person who came in and just blew them away,” says the golfer’s mom, Kea. “They had not expected someone like her to show up.”
The tournament unfolded over three rounds, and Kamalani took an early lead by shooting 3 under par. She maintained her position atop the leaderboard as the course became more challenging and the other players tried to catch her.
She finished at 3 under par; her closest competitor ended at even par.
The victory was not secured until the final hole. A mistake could have opened the door for another player to overtake her, but Kamalani slammed that possibility shut with the very skill that has become her trademark.
She sank the putt. Plunk!
For a young athlete competing far from home, it was a remarkable moment of determination and composure. But the victory also brought a new level of recognition and respect. Players and parents who had seen her compete the previous year now knew her name, and other families began approaching the Miyamotos to exchange phone numbers.
Kamalani had finished in the top 20 at the U.S. Kids Golf World Championship the previous year, competing in the 7-and-under division. This summer, she returned with more experience and a stronger game.
The improvement was evident. As a result, she now holds Level 14 U.S. Kids Golf Priority Status in the Girls 8 Under division. She’s also received invitations to play in more than 14 countries, including Korea, Thailand, Africa and Australia.
Yet there’s still nothing better than making a statement at home, where she is the No. 1-ranked girls junior golfer in the Class of 2036.
At the last state championship held at Royal Kunia, Kamalani faced a seemingly daunting task on the final hole, trailing the leader by four strokes. Rather than giving up, she kept playing.
At one point, she told her mother she needed an albatross to win. Kea simply encouraged her to stay focused and see what happened.
Suddenly, an opponent who was in the lead hit a ball into the water, opening the door for Kamalani. At that moment, she turned to her father and declared that she was going to win. Her bold declaration turned out to be prophetic as she captured the coveted title by one stroke.
For the Miyamotos, the comeback was another example of a quality they see in their daughter: the ability to remain determined even when the odds appear stacked against her.
Kamalani has her own explanation for that mindset. She admires professional golfers Michelle Wie West and Nelly Korda; she’s also a big fan of gymnast Simone Biles.
“I like that they both don’t give up till the end,” she says.
Asked whether that is the kind of competitor she dreams of becoming, Kamalani was unequivocal.
“Yes, that’s who I want to be: Nelly Korda and Michelle.”
It takes more than just talent to succeed at this level of golf. It takes time with scheduled practices and tournaments. It also demands that a family be willing to structure much of its life around the sport.
For the Miyamotos, that means a jam-packed calendar.
Kamalani competes in the U.S. Kids Golf and Under Armour Junior Tour programs, with seasons that stretch across the year. Each session can include six to eight tournaments over roughly three months, with practice rounds and additional time on the course filling many weekends.
“She has to have all her homework done before the weekend hits,” Kea says.
And it isn’t just golf and homework. Kamalani also loves to swim, surf, play soccer and basketball, practice hula and do gymnastics. Recently, she even took up archery. At school, she enjoys art and science and has a growing interest in engineering.
Of course, her parents make room for the activities she wants to pursue.
“My mom and dad just find something that’s athletic and that I want to do,” she says about her busy family life. “So they just find a free spot for it.”
Keith has taken on the role of what the family affectionately calls the “daddy caddy,” accompanying his daughter on the course and helping her navigate tournaments. He learned golf as an adult, but his own game has taken a back seat as Kamalani’s developed. For him, it’s a win-win scenario.
“To see her sink a 62-foot putt … to see a miracle like that, or to see her sink an albatross, or make an eagle in the state championship is amazing and fun just to watch her flourish,” he says.
Kea, who grew up around golf, understands the sport’s appeal. Her father, Harry Sasahara, played in pro-am events and was associated with the Hawaiian Open, and it was he who introduced her to the game at a young age.
Today, she and Keith help their daughter balance the demands of competition with the freedom to be a kid. That balance matters. Even during a round of golf, Kamalani finds ways to keep things light.
Keith remembers a day when she was waiting in the fairway and began doing cartwheels. A golfer following the group had been having a bad day, but watching the little girl enjoy herself changed his mood. It made him happy. After the round, he approached the family and offered to buy Kamalani ice cream.
It was a small gesture, but one that captured her carefree approach to the game. While she always competes to win, Kamalani also understands that she doesn’t have to be super-duper serious all the time.
As Keith explains, “She was just having a good time.”
Away from the course, Kamalani’s interests are similar to just about any girl her age.
She likes going to the beach and watching television. She also loves her stuffed animals and spending time with friends. Often, she can be found enjoying YouTube videos by engineer and science communicator Mark Rober, and munching on her favorite foods like noodles, sushi, pizza and sashimi.
A recent family trip to Japan offered several new opportunities to take in the culture while enjoying golf. During the visit, Kamalani played at a golf course connected to her mother’s extended family. She even caught a fish and learned how to clean and slice it. Lastly, she made her own sushi.
Kamalani’s parents have also invested in equipment suited to her growing frame. A properly fitted set of junior clubs recently added about 10 yards to her shots, a reminder that even a gifted golfer benefits from the right tools.
And her fundamentals are already producing impressive results. As for her ambition, it’s pretty straightforward.
“I want to get on the LPGA,” she states, referring to the professional women’s golf tour. She also hopes to “travel all around the world with my golf.”
At an age when many children are still figuring out which sports they enjoy, Kamalani has already found a game she intends to play for the rest of her life.
And if her putting continues to make that familiar plunk sound, the golfing world may be hearing her name for a long time to come.
