“We are a very fortunate program to be able to have Aaron, Brendan, Costas and Kento sign their National Letters Of Intent to Cal,” Alex and Marie Shipman Director of Men’s Golf Walter Chun said. “These four young men embody what Cal golf is all about with respect to working hard both in the classroom and on the golf course. They also value and put team ahead of themselves, and when you combine all those attributes Cal golf is in good hands with these four.”
Below are notes on each of Cal’s four signees.
Aaron Chen, Fr., HS, Fremont (Mission San Jose HS)
• Ranked No. 16 nationally according to the Junior Golf Scoreboard while the AJGA has him at No. 32
• Earned Rolex Junior All-American honors and was a member of the AJGA’s Transamerica Scholastic Junior All-America Honor Roll in 2018
• Picked up a spot on the Transamerica Scholastic Junior All-America Team in 2017 and was an AP Scholar with Distinction as a high school junior during the 2017-18 academic year
• Won individual medalist honors at the 2018 AJGA Under Armour/Alison Lee Championship presented by Irvine Technology Company (66-67-67 – 200) and 2017 CIF NorCal Championships (67)
• Had second-place showings at the 2018 AJGA Enagic Junior Championship (64-71-70 – 205) and 2017 AJGA Callaway Golf Junior Championship (66-72-70 – 208), while he was third at the 2016 AJGA Junior All-Star Invitational sponsored by NIKEGOLF (68-72-70 – 210)
• A participant at the 2017 and 2018 U.S. Junior Amateur, picking up a Round of 32 appearance in 2017 after tying for 17th in stroke play (69-71 – 140)
• Parents are Alex and Lily Chen
Brendan Hy, Fr., HS, San Ramon (Dougherty Valley HS)
• Picked up 2018 first-team All-FCWT honors while he was a member of the AJGA Transamerica Scholastic Junior All-America Honor Roll in 2017
• Won individual medalist honors at the 2017 FCWT Coyote Creek Golf Classic (66-68 – 134)
• Reached quarterfinals at both the 2017 and 2018 San Francisco City Championship
• Has had recent top-15 finishes in 2017 at the AJGA Azahara Munoz Championship by Transamerica at ASU Karsten Golf Course (T5th, 70-70-71 – 211) and in 2016 at the Junior PGA Championship (T13th, 70-71-69-73 – 283) and the IMG Academy Junior World at Torrey Pines Golf Club – South (T15th, 72-71-72-77 – 292)
• Parents are Minh Hy and Shanice Ma
• A member of the first-team All-FCWT and FCWT All-Academic squads as well as the AJGA Transamerica Scholastic Junior All-America Honor Roll in 2018
• Also earned the Washington Junior Golf Association’s Most Inspirational Player Award for District 2 in 2017
• Picked up individual medalist honors at the 2018 FCWT San Ramon Open (70-68 – 138) while he has had three other top-10 finishes in the calendar year at the AJGA Eagle Crest Junior Championship (T2nd, 66-71 – 137), FCWT Tour Championship (3rd, 73-70-65 – 208) and the Under Armour/Alison Lee Championship presented by Irvine Technology Company (T6th, 72-68-71 – 211)
• Also had third-place showing in 2017 at FCWT Open at La Costa (73-68 – 141)
• Parents are Panos and Mary Panay
Kento Yamawaki, Fr., HS, Encinitas, CA (La Costa Canyon HS)
• Ranked No. 48 nationally by Golfweek the Junior Golf Scoreboard has him at No. 56
• The 2017 CIF San Diego Section Player of the Year after earning individual medalist honors at the section championships (68-67 – 135) before following that with a third-place showing (68-69 – 137) in 2018
• A three-time first-team All-CIF San Diego County selection (2016-18)
• Qualified for match play at the 2018 U.S. Junior Amateur after tying for 45th in stroke play (70-76 – 146)
• Also was the individual medalist at the 2018 San Diego Junior Golf Association’s Fall Championship and Junior World and ABIJC Qualifier at Carlton Oaks Golf Club (68-66 – 134) while adding top-10 showings the same calendar year at the Toyota Tour Cup Invitational at La Costa Resort (2nd, 68-71-73 – 212), the AJGA PING Heather Farr Classic (T8th, 70-71-71 – 212) and the AJGA Polo Golf Junior Classic (T9th, 72-70-75-70 – 287)
• Parents are Koichi and Yoshiko Yamawaki