GOLF REPORT
Umemura's life moves beyond golf
| • | 'The Big Break' airs in February |
| • | Relief available from water on course |
| • | Holes in one |
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Anna Umemura hardly golfs anymore. Her desire for the game in which she once excelled became of less importance when she lost her No. 1 fan. Her father.
Bob Umemura, who died from an accidental fall after watching a University of Hawai'i basketball game in March 2004, was in the gallery during every one of his daughter's golf victories.
Considering the number of victories his daughter racked up during a remarkable career as a teenager, Umemura spent a lot of time at a golf course. Not bad for someone who took up golf only because his daughter needed a playing partner.
You can talk all you want about today's talented local young golfers, but no Hawai'i golfer won more tournaments than Umemura during a torrid stretch in the 1990s:
Clearly, Umemura was at her best in 1997 when she swept all three major women's championships, besides the state high school title. After graduating from Punahou that year, she earned a full golf scholarship to the University of Tennessee, where she played for four years.
Again, away from home and with her dad not in the gallery, Umemura didn't play that well for the Volunteers' golf team. But the family was there at her graduation in Knoxville four years ago.
Umemura drove to Orlando, Fla., the day after getting her degree with the hopes of pursuing a career in professional golf.
It was not to be. Trying to sustain the desire just wasn't there, more so after her father's death, according to Umemura, 27, who's spending the holidays with her mother, Kathy, and brother, Grant.
"It was hard for me to emotionally continue playing with the death of my dad. He was my No. 1 fan," Umemura said.
In October, Umemura also lost her No. 1 caddy.
Eric Yu, who had been like a big brother and even went to Umemura's graduation ceremonies in Tennessee, died of a heart attack while visiting her on a golf trip with a couple of friends, Dean and Randall Kaya.
"We brought him back home," Umemura said.
Then on Dec. 11, Umemura's birthday, her grandmother, Mitsuko Umemura, passed away a day after her 93rd birthday.
Despite the difficulties, Umemura remains upbeat even if her competitive golfing days are over. She'll play a social round or two occasionally.
She started her own baby-sitting business, doing it for five families.
"It's seven days a week, days and nights. But I get to set my own schedule."
She still follows the golf scene and was ecstatic when her Punahou classmate Parker McLachlin, made it to the PGA Tour National Qualifying School last month in Winter Garden, Fla. Her home is just a 5-minute drive away.
"I told him he could stay at my place if he made it through the second stage. It's such a big tournament. I knew it would be good to have a home environment," Umemura said.
"We had so much fun. He and Kristy (Parker's wife) were here with his caddy (Tyler Williamson) and his sports psychologist (Don Greene).
I had a whole house full and my house isn't that big."
Also crashing at Anna's place for a couple of days that week was former local pro Scott Head, director of golf at Tree Tops Golf Resort in Michigan, where McLachlin briefly worked while playing on the mini-tour.
Umemura caught a bad cold and didn't get to see McLachlin during most of the five-day qualifying, but she did get there in time on the final day to see him birdie his final two holes.
She said she hopes McLachlin, who earned an exemption to the 2006 Nationwide Tour, is successful in the Monday qualifying for next month's Sony Open in Hawai'i. She's planning on being there before returning to Florida.
And yes, says Umemura, "I keep up with Michelle Wie. Who doesn't? She's awesome. I want to be like her. I'm a hacker, compared to her.
"You're not going to see something like this ever again. Like Tiger. It's nice to have it come out of Hawai'i."
