DuPONT, Wash. – Hawai'i Pacific University's Keita Okada shot his best round of the tournament in wrapping up the 2021 NCAA Division II West/South Central Regional on Saturday at The Home Course.
 
Okada, the PacWest Conference Freshman of the Year from Tokyo, Japan/Bradenton Fla. IMG Academy, fired a 2-over-par 74 on the par 72, 7,047-yard final day loop at The Home Course. He improved 12 positions and finished with a 54-hole total of 13-over 229, tied for 58th in the 86-man field.
 
Okada played steady golf on the day, picking up three bogeys and a birdie. He posted a bogey 4 the par 3 No. 4, but followed with a birdie 3 at the par 5 No. 5, and made the turn at even-par.
 
No. 10 gave him trouble once again, carding a bogey 6 on the par 5. He played par golf until the par 4 No. 18, where he recorded a bogey 5.
 
It was a great experience for the true freshman who led the Sharks this season with three tournament wins including the PacWest Conference Individual Championship and a first-team All-PacWest Conference selection.
 
In the team competition, Texas A&M-Commerce shot an even-par team score of 288 in the final round to win the regional with a 10-over 874, five strokes better than host Saint Martin's at 879 in second. Sonoma State was third, six back at 880, with Colorado State-Pueblo in fourth at 882. Montana State-Billings was fifth at 883.
 
Individually, Sonoma State's Thomas Jenkins fired a 3-under 69 on the final day to win medalist honors at 5-under 211, one stroke ahead of A&M-Commerce's Zach Burch at 4-under 212 with a 2-under 70 on Saturday. MSU-Billings Garret Woodin fired a 3-under 69 to finish third at 3-under 213.
 
The top four teams and the top individual not a part of those teams, Woodin, advance to the NCAA Division II Championships at the PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., May 17-21.