Passion for golf is key to success for Washougal’s Sakamoto

Nothing about Sakamoto’s high school career she would change, including battling back from wrist tendonitis to place second at state in 2017, or her gender keeping her from postseason competition her freshman year in California.

It’s the learning experiences that make Sakamoto grateful for the golfer she is. She’s the two-time reigning 2A district champion and has back-to-back top-3 state finishes. Both the 2A sub-district (May 7) and district (May 16-17) tournaments are at Washougal’s home course, Orchard Hills Golf & Country Club.

And those learning experiences began early. She still thinks back to when her father, David Sakamoto, introduced golf to his youngest daughter and how it took six months to transition from her softball swing, the sport she gave up for golf.

As instant as her softball power transitioned into golf, so did her love for a game. Their bond has grown because of golf.

“It’s nice to have that relationship with a parent,” she said.

And success followed suit.

Before her father’s job transfer sent their family to Clark County in 2015, Sakamoto starred as a freshman at Fairfield (Calif.) High School near the halfway point of San Francisco and Sacramento. The school of nearly 1,400 students failed to have enough turnout for girls golf in fall 2014, so the teen became one of two girls to join the boys team that spring. The program also needed a head coach so her father stepped to the plate.

Despite having the team’s lowest average playing off men’s tees and earning all-league honors as her scores counted toward the team total, Sakamoto learned at the 18-hole league tournament she couldn’t advance further into postseason play since she’s a girl playing in the 2015 spring boys golf season. Those rules are set by the state’s governing body for high school sports and activities, California Interscholastic Federation.

Comparatively, back in October, 16-year-old Emily Nash of Lundenberg, Mass., made national news winning a boys district tournament by four shots, yet failed to receive a state bid or take home the district trophy.

While disappointed, Sakamoto gives a healthy perspective on her freshman experience.

“I thought, ‘OK, that’s fine,’ she said. “I have fun there, and that’s all that counts.”

Health, too, is in part why Sakamoto says she’s now playing her best golf of her career. She recently posted a 1-under 36 (Orchard Hills) and even-par 35 (Tri-Mountain Golf Course) in back-to-back days as she aims for her third consecutive top-3 state placing.

But early last spring, state might’ve been questionable. Wrist tendonitis sidelined her three weeks, but she returned in time to repeat as district champion and qualify for state. She tied for second at state with a two-day total of 155.

Allen, Washougal’s coach since 1996, says Sakamoto is golf’s complete package with a mental strength that’s second to none. Not only powering through pain and discomfort, but the extra workload to better her craft at the course — even in the midst of state.

At the 2016 state tournament at Richland’s Columbia Point Golf Course, Sakamoto went back to work on her chipping and putting routine long after her opening-round 80 concluded.

Allen recalls how hot the sun was that day, only to see Sakamoto wanting to put in more work. The next day, she climbed the leaderboard to place third.

“She can do it all,” Allen said, “and when she’s on, it’s fun to watch.”

That mental toughness is one of a kind, Allen said, but no one is tougher on Sakamoto than herself. Still, she’s all about lightheartedness, too, before joining NCAA Division III Aurora University’s (Illinois) golf team next fall.

“Fun is the key thing for me,” Sakamoto said.