Now that Annika Sorenstam has claimed the season’s first trophy, it’s time to look ahead to next weekend’s Fields Open at Ko Olina. Why? Because you might get a sneak peek at one of golf’s most talented up and comers.

No, I’m not talking about Michelle Wie, although actually, Wie will be there too. I’m talking about one Miss Cyd (pronounced “Sid") Okino—an amateur who’s going to try to Monday-qualify.

Never heard of her, you say? Don’t worry, you will. Just 14 years old, she’s the latest in what’s becoming a line of Hawaiian prodigies, with back-to-back Hawaii State Opens (the adult division) under her belt. At age 11, she won the Hawaii State Women’s Match Play Championship, then set her sights on the mainland, becoming at age 12 the second-youngest ever to qualify for the US Women’s Amateur Public Links. I bet you can guess who was the first-youngest.

Okino and her famous forbear have more than their fluid swings and Honolulu hometowns in common; they’re also both Punahou-educated and Casey Nakama-trained. Casey Nakama, of the Casey Nakama Golf Development Center at the Olomana Golf Links in Honolulu, was Michelle Wie’s first coach. Under Nakama, Wie went from a big-hitting 10-year-old to the youngest female, at age 12, to Monday-qualify for an LPGA event.

Say what you will about Wie’s performances of late—back when she was still hitting balls for Nakama, there was nothin’ wrong with that swing.

So where will Okino’s swing take her?

On this question, Nakama hedges his bets a little: “She’ll definitely become a good college player,” he says. “To continue to be a successful LPGA professional is yet to be determined since she only just started her first year in high school.”

Nakama has been working with Okino for almost eight years, since she was just six years old. We saw what he did for Michelle Wie. It’ll be interesting to see what he can do for his current pupil.

Will Okino make it into the field at the Fields Open? (Photo courtesy 808Golf.com)

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