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Oshiro moves on to first-ever SOGC final By Danny Penza Updated: Sep 04, 2022 09:03 PM A A 7 View all photos Central Point native to face four-time champion Nealy in Monday’s women’s championship Entering her first-ever Southern Oregon Golf Championships, Kiana Oshiro knew full well she was far from a match play veteran. While that still may be the case, the former state champion at Crater High has put herself in position to potentially add an SOGC title to her list of accomplishments. The second-seeded Oshiro came out victorious in one of the marquee semifinal matchups of the day in the entire tournament, claiming a 1 up win over Stephanie Johns in the women’s championship division at Rogue Valley Country Club on Sunday afternoon. “I felt like I played good,” said the 23-year-old Oshiro. “I was just able to hit my drives, put them in position, put my shots into position and just give myself a good line at a birdie putt. Whatever mistakes I did make, I was trying to play smart because, in match play, it’s a lot different than stroke play. In match play, you always know what’s going on and you have to always play smart and give yourself the best opportunity to just try to match the person’s score or do better than them.” In all three of her SOGC matches over the past four days, Oshiro has won by the same 1 up result. “This tournament has been pretty fun, pretty great to play in,” said Oshiro. “With the course layout, I just try to keep the ball below the hole and just try to favor the right part of the green. I will say that hitting the fairways is a little difficult for me here because they are a lot more narrow than at Centennial. It’s just game management from there.” It has been a strong couple of weeks for Oshiro, who wrapped up her collegiate career this past spring at Oral Roberts University as a grad transfer from LSU. She flirted with the women’s course record at Centennial Golf Club in winning last weekend’s Rogue Valley Stroke Play Championships by five shots. Oshiro will face four-time women’s champion Johnna Nealy in Monday’s championship round. Nealy, the defending women’s champion, advanced via a 1 up win over Trina Jones in their semifinal matchup. It’s the second time in as many weeks that Oshiro and Nealy have squared off for a title in a local tournament, with Oshiro finishing three strokes ahead of Nealy at the Stroke Play Championships. Now, Oshiro will look to win the 93rd edition of the match play tournament in her first-ever SOGC appearance. The women’s championship tees off at 3:30 p.m. Monday afternoon, while the first 18 holes of the 36-hole men’s championship begins at 10 a.m., with the second 18 teeing off at 3:40 p.m. “Very excited,” said Oshiro. “This is my first time playing the Southern Oregon and I’m going up against Johnna tomorrow. She’s a great golfer and she’s fun to play with. I’m hoping that my game will be a good match for her.” Oshiro didn’t wait long to get a lead against Johns. The Central Point native was able to hit the green in two shots on the par-5 first. Oshiro couldn’t convert for eagle, instead two-putting to settle for birdie and go 1 up on Johns. From there, Oshiro worked with the lead for the rest of the afternoon. “I was pretty much working with the lead right from the beginning.” she said. “I loved playing against Stephanie today. She’s a great player. She had a little bit of a rough day, but I had a lot of fun and I know she’s a great player. She hits it so far and it’s just great watching her swing.” Working with an early lead helped quell some nerves to start her round. That’s mainly because Oshiro fully admits that’s the way it is before the start of every competitive round she plays. “Each day I always feel nervous because it’s just another competition day,” said Oshiro. “I’m never going to look at something and look at it like it’s going to be easy or it’s going to be hard. It’s always nerve-wracking, but it did feel good that my game was good enough today.” There may be more nerves Monday, but Oshiro knows from the past four days that she can get it done. “I’m just going to play my game and see who comes out on top,” said Oshiro. “Johnna is a great player and she’s just a great competitor. She knows this course well. I don’t really play here (at RVCC) that often and this is my first time playing it in a few years. I just hope my game is just good enough.” In the men’s championship division, Eagle Point native Ethan DeVore, the lowest seed of all four semifinalists, advanced with a 4-and-3 win over No. 14 seed Alex Forristal. DeVore, who played collegiately at Oregon Tech, eliminated 2021 champion Chris Polski with a 1 up victory in Saturday’s quarterfinal round. He will face Jimmy White, who knocked off Mark Wilson 3-and-2 in Sunday’s other semifinal. The top seed in the junior-senior division, Johnny Mansfield, saw his bid to win his first SOGC title in three years come to an end after he lost 2 and 1 to Scott Wise. Wise will face Tommy Smith, who won 2 up over Bryan White. Two-time defending seniors champion Kevin Klabunde has the chance to make it three in a row after his 1 up win over Brad Bills in the semifinals. Klabunde, who has been fighting through an ankle injury all tournament, will face Mitch Weisberger. In the super seniors division, No. 1 seed Glen Clark beat Lee Oltjenbruns 1 up, while Gregory Miller won 4-and-3 over David George. Southern Oregon Golf Championships Sunday MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP Jimmy White def. Mark Wilson 2&1, Ethan DeVore def. Alex Forristal 4&3. MEN’S 1ST FLIGHT Edward Smith def. Scott Fieber 2&1, Patrick Corey def. Cooper Clark 4&2 MEN’S 2ND FLIGHT Jordan Holcomb def. Michael Brittingham 2&1, Logan Artner def. Blake Boutwell 2 up MEN’S 3RD FLIGHT Jacob Gooding def. Calvin Maready 1 up, Ben Mertens def. Brian Findlay 2&1 MEN’S 4TH FLIGHT Kristopher Kaufman def. Alec Williamson 1 up, Chase Schumacher def. Conner Macdonald 2&1 MEN’S 5TH FLIGHT Ben Running def. Dalton Pfau 1 up, Craig Contreras def. Zachary Stranahan 5 up MEN’S 6TH FLIGHT Trey Neff def. Charlie Walker 2&1, Levi Daily def. Wade Fieber 6&5 MEN’S 7TH FLIGHT Jason Hanlin def. Matthew Stowers 1 up, Dustin Wallace def. Michael Eastman 1 up MEN’S 8TH FLIGHT Ian Norgan def. Collin Kruger 1 up, Samuel Barr def. Jacob Colmenero 3&2 MEN’S 9TH FLIGHT Todd Nakano def. Calvin Lewis 1 up, Immanuel Byrne def. Nicholas Jones 1 up MEN’S 10TH FLIGHT Kelley Beck def. Caesar Espino 20th, Gordon Casey def. Jeff Matschke 4&3 MEN’S 11TH FLIGHT Michael Henry def. LJ Falk 1 up, Shawn Webber def. Andrew Burton 1 up JUNIOR-SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP Scott Wise def. John Mansfield 2&1, Tommy Smith def. Bryan White 2 up JUNIOR-SENIOR 1ST FLIGHT Trevor Telford def. James Russell 2&1, George McMichael def. Jeff Morgan 4&2 JUNIOR-SENIOR 2ND FLIGHT Steve Tollefson def. Adam Rezendes 1 up, William Riddle def. Jim Retzlaff 2&1 JUNIOR-SENIOR 3RD FLIGHT Brian Berg def. Billy Burke 1 up, Matthew Miller def. Greg Jacobs 1 up JUNIOR-SENIOR 4TH FLIGHT Jeremiah Paladino def. Benny Shapiro 3&2, Eric Engelbach def. Scott Gephart 2&1 JUNIOR-SENIOR 5TH FLIGHT Josh Godfrey def. Chad Orr 2 up, Scott Entinger def. Caleb Martin 1 up JUNIOR-SENIOR 6TH FLIGHT Ian Powers def. Kevin Jones 6&5, Rick Miller def. Erik Pederson 3&2 JUNIOR-SENIOR 7TH FLIGHT Jason Rowan def. Jad Dickson 2 up, Robert King def. Kevin Primerano 2&1 SENIOR CHAMPIONSHIP Kevin Klabunde def. Brad Bills 1 up, Mitch Weisberger def. Marshall Holman 2&1 SENIOR 1ST FLIGHT Michael Finnell def. Eric Artner 1 up, Kevin Dixon def. Marty Morlan 1 up SENIOR 2ND FLIGHT Alex Merkner def. David Card 19th, Patrick O’Bannon def. Eric Austad 19th SENIOR 3RD FLIGHT Jeff Bright def. Tom Pepple 4&3, Brent Barr def. John Buda 2 up SENIOR 4TH FLIGHT Brian Adolf def. Bill Cox 1 up, Erick Doolen def. David Gadberry 2 up SENIOR 5TH FLIGHT Don Schamanek def. Lance Hunter 1 up, Dennis Richards def. Randy Rupert 2&1 SENIOR 6TH FLIGHT Kevin Tucker def. David Blake 2&1, Dave Mettler def. Jim Stormo 1 up SENIOR 7TH FLIGHT Dwight Shriver def. Scott Sterton 2&1, John Rowan def. Greg Wojtal 1 up WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP Johnna Nealy def. Trina Jones 1 up, Kiana Oshiro def. Stephanie Johns 1 up WOMEN’S 1ST FLIGHT Natalie Kinney def. Amanda Nealy 1 up, Kelly Loeb def. Carolyn Turner 2&1 WOMEN’S 2ND FLIGHT Lindsey Crosier def. Michele Orrico 1 up, Melinda Heiner def. Mindy Cuttrell 1 up WOMEN’S 3RD FLIGHT Jan Hughes def. Judy Brown 5&4, Julia Tissen def. Teri Mayer 2 up WOMEN’S 4TH FLIGHT Dana Powers-Clark def. Tammy Harrison 1 up, Laurel Kiichli def. Rosemary Harrington 7&6 WOMEN’S 5TH FLIGHT Dana Cody def. Leslye Reynolds 2 up, Fawn Miller def. Barbara Stormo 19th Reach reporter Danny Penza at 541-776-4469 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @penzatopaper. Photo by Denise Baratta. Kiana Oshiro tees off at the second hole Sunday at Rogue Valley Country Club. Photo by Denise Baratta. Kiana Oshiro watches her putt on the third green, Sundat at Rogue Valley Country Club. Photo by Denise Baratta. Stephanie Johns watches her ball after teeing off at the fourth hole Sunday at Rogue Valley Country Club. Photo by Denise Baratta. Stephanie Johns makes a chip shot on to the fourth green Sunday at Rogue Valley Country Club. Photo by Denise Baratta. Stephanie Johns watches her putt on the third hold Sunday at Rogue valley Country Club. Photo by Denise Baratta. Johnna Nealy watches her drive at the start of the fourth hole, Sunday at Rogue Valley Country Club. Photo by Denise Baratta. Johnna Nealy at the fourth green, Sunday during women's semifinals play at Rogue Valley Country Club.