KALAUAO, O‘AHU– The 2025 Imperial Hawaii Junior Classic at Pearl at Kalauao teed off today in an impressive fashion, marking the first-ever AJGA (American Junior Golf Association) event held in Hawai‘i. A total of 78 junior golfers from across the globe competed on the newly renovated course in ideal conditions for the opening round.
Brady Neal of Rancho Santa Fe, California, set the pace for the boys with a 3-under-par 69, while Bella Ransi of El Dorado Hills, California, led the girls’ division with a 1-under-par 71.
Neal, who began his round on the back nine, fired off three birdies in his first six holes. The rising junior is coming off a T5 finish at the SDJGA Phil Mickelson Jr. Players Championship and previously captured the 2024 National Tour Thanksgiving Slam title. He currently sits at No. 538 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings.
Three players—Landon Abalateo, Branden Wong, and Cole Kim—trail by a single stroke at 2-under-par, tied for second place. Abalateo, ranked No. 136 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings, has already notched a victory this season at the 2025 PGA West Junior Championship.
In the girls’ division, Ransi, a junior at Oakridge High School, entered the event ranked No. 174 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings. She has continued her strong form following her win at the Alton Illinois Junior Championship earlier this year and three victories in 2024.
Hawai‘i’s own Keelee Nogawa of Aiea—just minutes from Pearl at Kalauao—is the highest-ranked local player in the field. Nogawa claimed her first AJGA title earlier this season at the TaylorMade Preview at Bentwater, winning in a thrilling four-hole playoff. A freshman with a 2029 graduation year, Nogawa continues to make her mark on the national junior golf scene.
General Manager, Ed Kageyama noted in a recent interview with AJGA, “We are very excited to be hosting the first-ever AJGA tournament in Hawaii. To have such a prestigious event at Pearl at Kalauao, and for it to be the first-ever AJGA event is phenomenal. We are honored to be able to provide such an opportunity to our keiki (junior) golfers.” When asked about the course, ““The architectural design elements that stand out most are the green complexes. They’re undulating, just like the course itself, and a good short game will be key to scoring well at Pearl at Kalauao.”
The second and final round tee times begin Sunday and Monday, respectively, at 7:30AM. Walking spectators are welcome.
2025 Imperial Hawaii Junior Classic at Pearl at Kalauao
Dates: Saturday, October 11 – Monday October 13
Venue: Pearl at Kalauao
Location: Kalauao, O‘ahu
Yardage (Par): Boys 6,752 (72); Girls 5,870 (72)
Format: Three days; 18 holes each day; stroke play
All Scores: Imperial Hawaii Junior Classic at Pearl at Kalauao – 2025 Leaderboard
About Pearl at Kalauao
Pearl at Kalauao, like a precious momi (pearl), is a hidden gem in O‘ahu’s golfing landscape, offering breathtaking views from Pu‘uloa to the Wai‘anae Mountains. Established in 1967 as the Francis H. ‘Ī‘ī Brown Golf and Country Club and later transitioning to Pearl Country Club in 1975, it has long welcomed both kama‘āina and visitors. Today, the course continues its legacy with new enhancements, including upgraded clubhouse amenities and short-game practice facilities. Pearl at Kalauao remains committed to sustainable stewardship of the ‘āina, fostering a connection to the land that benefits both the environment and the wider community. Learn more at www.pearlatkalauao.com. Pearl at Kalauao is managed by Indigo Sports, a Troon company. Headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., Troon is the world’s largest golf and golf-related hospitality management company providing services at 940-plus locations worldwide. For additional news and information, visit www.Troon.com.
About Imperial
Founded in 1916, Imperial Headwear is the leading manufacturer of premium quality headwear, apparel, and accessories for the golf market. Imperial’s products can be found at 99 of the Top 100 and over 75% of the Top 400 golf courses in the United States, and they were voted the #1 headwear brand for private and resort golf facilities for six consecutive years by the Association of Golf Merchandisers (AGM) and reported as the “#1 headwear brand in the combined on and off course retail golf channels in 2022” by Golf Datatech. Imperial is committed to style, functionality, and perfection in fit and comfort. It is this commitment that has allowed the creation of a wide variety of headwear and apparel with quality that is second to none.
Renowned for its superior customer service and art customization capabilities, Imperial offers its products using the most innovative fabrics and designs, as well as logo decoration and embellishment technologies. For further information please visit imperial1916.com. Follow Imperial Headwear on X and Instagram at @ImperialHats and Facebook.com/ImperialHeadwear.
About the AJGA
The American Junior Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the overall growth and development of young men and women who aspire to earn college golf scholarships through competitive junior golf. The AJGA provides valuable exposure for college golf scholarships and has an annual junior membership (boys and girls, ages 12-19) of more than 9,000 members from 50 states and 51 foreign countries. Through initiatives like the Liberty National ACE Grant, a financial assistance program, and Leadership Links, a service-oriented platform that teaches juniors charitable-giving skills, the AJGA fosters the growth of golf’s next generation.
TaylorMade and adidas are the AJGA’s Global Sponsors, supporting the AJGA for more than 25 years. TaylorMade has served as the Official Ball of the AJGA since 2016. adidas has been the Official Apparel and Footwear of the AJGA since 2017. Rolex, in its fourth decade of AJGA sponsorship, became the inaugural AJGA Premier Partner in 2004.
AJGA alumni have risen to the top of amateur, collegiate and professional golf. Former AJGA juniors have compiled more than 1,000 victories on the PGA TOUR and LPGA Tour. AJGA Alumni include Patrick Cantlay, Billy Horschel, Collin Morikawa, Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Tiger Woods, Paula Creamer, Jessica Korda, Nelly Korda, Cristie Kerr, Stacy Lewis, Inbee Park, Lexi Thompson and Rose Zhang.
Media Contact:
Ed Kageyama
(808) 487-2460
ekageyama@pearlatkalauao.com