Casey Watabu Champion 81st U.S. Amateur Public Links

Another victory for a Hawaii born and trained golfer on the national stage. 22 year old Casey Watabu won the 81st US Amateur Public Links. It's one of the many USGA events staged every summer. Watabu defeated Anthony Kim of Traverse City, Michigan 4 and 3 at the par 72, 7,061 yard Golf Mountain Golf Club in Bremerton, Washington. It's not everyday one of our "kids" comes home the winner with an invitation to play in the Master at Augusta. It's customary for the Masters committee to invite the winner of the U.S Amateur Public Links to their tournament. We're looking forward to following Watabu next spring at Augusta!

Watabu was in the "media room" after his win, taking questions from reporters. Beth Murrison started off with asking Casey about his victory.

Casey Watabu winner of the 81st US Amateur Public Links (.wma)

That is so cool that Watabu gave his caddy so much credit. You don't often hear that from the winners! Watabu played an excellent final 36 holes on Saturday, after a week of intense competition. Watabu says his putting, usually very streaky, was on the right streak!

Casey Watabu on his putting (.wma)

For the first 11 holes, it was pretty spooky. Watabu was just holding on to the lead, 1 up after 8 , after 9, after 10 and after 11 he started pulling away. Casey was asked about that streak of holes and the birdie his opponent made. What were you thinking and what were you doing to hold off the competition?

Casey Watabu on the close race at the beginning of his final round. (.wma)

Watabu must have had a little bit of confidence going into the last round, cause he called his parents, Victor and Iris, to fly over and watch the final round. They ended up taking the red eye and getting to the course just as he was going into the 11th hole.
Watabu says he really worked on playing his own game and not getting caught in his opponents pace.

Casey Watabu on playing at his own pace (.wma)

Lots of words of advice from Watabu for your own game! We'll have more on how to play in competition with Tom Watson coming up in the U.S. Senior Open.

We've got a big name in the world of golf training coming to Hawaii in the very near future. Actually, the David Leadbetter Academy is already here in the mind of Eddie Lee.

Eddie Lee, teaching professional with the David Leadbetter Academy on Maui.

Lee, who has been a PGA teaching professional on Maui for years, spent the last three months in Florida training with David Leadbetter. I've always been impressed with Lee's easy, comfortable ability to communicate teaching ideas. He has been a guest on "The Golf Club" radio show several times.

Lee says he is impressed with the way Leadbetter is teaching. Lee says it's not the "one method fits all" format that many people think Leadbetter represents. You can hear more about the David Leadbetter Academy, the teaching ideas that incorporate biomechanics and the soft opening this month on Maui. Better yet, make an appointment to take a lesson with Lee. You can reach him through the pro shop at Wailea, where the Leadbetter Academy will be based. 808 875 7450 is the number to call until the building is finished.

Before I get to Michelle Wie and her latest attempt to win on the PGA Tour at the John Deere Classic, let's take a step back for the U.S Women's Open. It was an incredible finish, with great golf played by everyone, including Wie. I know Stephanie Kono and Ayako Kaneko weren't happy with their own play. They did not make the cut for the weekend play, but Hawaii had two representatives in Kimberly Kim and Michelle Wie.

Kimberly Kim on making the cut. (.wma)

Kim was amazing with the fans. Her clubs got lost on the flight to Newport, Rhode Island but with all of the equipment manufacturers representatives at the Women's Open, she quickly put a set together. She says she was also amazed at how many people wanted her autograph. She was signing everything "Kim Kim" because, she says, her name is too long!

Kimberly Kim during the U.S. Women's Open.

Kim also made it all the way the final round of the U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship but lost 6 and 5 to 19 year old Tiffany Joh of San Diego after 31 holes.

Disaster struck for Kim at the AJGA Rolex Tournament of Champions outside Denver after the U.S. Women's Open. She had to withdraw after being hit by a ball on the underside of her wrist. She was hit while standing in the fairway at the bottom of a steep hill at Hiwan Golf Club's 10th hole. That hole requires a blind tee shot and a group of boys hit eight drives while Kim and three others were still in the fairway. Kim was picking up her golf bag. She says she didn't see it coming but it left a nasty, deep tissue bruise.

Michelle Wie played excellent during the U.S. Women's Open. She was actually pleased with her own performance at the Newport Country Club.

Michelle Wie on the state of her game during the 2006 U.S Women's Open (.wma)

Michelle Wie

But she didn't come out the winner. She could have made it to a playoff. Could have, if she had made some birdies or holed a couple more putts. But all in all, her putting was very good just not good enough to beat Pat Hurst and Annika Sorenstam. Wie came in tied for 3rd, after shooting a total 2 over 286 with a 70, 68, 71 and 72. Hurst was also playing the "if only I'd" game. She had command of the event until the final round when Annika Sorenstam made her move. It was a difficult day, with 36 holes to play after weather played havoc with the course the first few days. Rain flooded and closed the course on Monday before the tournament. Fog canceled the first day of play on Thursday. In the end, it came down to the playoff. Sorenstam prevailed shooting 1 under 70 to Hurst's 3 over 74. After all the talk of the "Sorenslump", Sorenstam showed just how good she is, winning the U.S. Women's Open for a third time.

Annika Sorenstam on winning the U.S. Women's Open. (.wma)

Our attention turned next to the John Deer Classic on the PGA Tour, where Michelle Wie was going to try to become the first woman since Babe Zaharias to make the cut on a PGA Tour event. It went from bad to worse for Wie. Between the bugs and the heat, Wie was done in by the sweltering 88 degree, humid Illinois weather, where no gentle trade winds blow. The air, heavy with pollen and low on oxygen, makes it difficult to breathe.

Michelle Wie dealing with the heat in Illinois

Wie opened with a disappointing 77. The second day, Wie's father B.J. says she ate an unusually large breakfast and from there it went from bad to worse. She gave up on the 9th hole, after struggling to keep her stomach down and the ball in the fairway. Wie was taken from the club house by ambulance to the hospital where doctors said she was suffering from heat exhaustion. Her family said she was feeling much better after the IV treatment rehydrating her body.

Between the U.S. Open and the John Deere Classic , the HSBC Women's World Match Play was staged at Hamilton Farm Golf Course in Gladstone New Jersey, Wie, seeded 2nd, lost in the quarterfinal round to Brittany Lincicome who went on to win the final and the HSBC trophy.

Since the John Deere Classic, and no wins yet, the skeptics are again calling for Wie to focus on the LPGA and forget playing against men, at least until she "has learned to win". I don't think she should change a thing, except maybe her breakfast before a round. Wie is still a 16 year old high school student who isn't interested in giving up school and petitioning the LPGA for early membership. She is already playing as many LPGA events and other women's events she is invited to. If she works in a couple of PGA Tour events, the more experience she gets, the better. During a news conference before Wie withdrew from the event, the leader at the time, Joe Ogilvie said this. "I'd tell her to play more (PGA) TOUR events. I was out there when she teed off at 10:45, and it looked like Tiger Woods was teeing off on No. 10. I mean, it's wall to wall, all the way down the entire length of the par 5, 10th hole. It's great to see. It's great for Moline, it's great for the PGA TOUR, its great for Michelle Wie and it's great for Joe Ogilvie."
He went on to say this: "Everybody is like win, win, win. She's 16; chill out. ONCE SHE GETS TO WINNING YOU'LL GET SICK OF HER WINNING."

By the time this column is posted, Michelle Wie will have played in the Evian Masters in Evian-les-Bains, France and she'll be about to tie it up at the Royal Lytham & St. Annes in Lancashire ,England. In early September, she's playing in Switzerland at the Omega Masters on the European Tour and 4 days after that men's event is played, she is back in the States for the 84 Lumber Classic. If anything, I think they need to give her longer breaks between events. It's not like she needs to money or the exposure!

Hawaii's David Ishii went to Hutchinson, Kansas for the U.S. Senior Open after qualifying here in Hawaii. Unfortunately he did not make the cut. By Saturday, it seemed pretty obvious Tom Watson was going to win this major event on the Champions Tour. Watson was leading for the first three rounds.

Tom Watson on the second day of play at the U.S. Senior Open. (.wma)

On day three, Saturday, Watson was still impressed with his putting

Tom Watson on the third day of play at Prairie Dunes. (.wma)

Then on Sunday, Allan Doyle, who was playing his game just behind Watson, managed to snatch the 27th U.S. Senior Open in his home state

Tom Watson on watching his lead slip away on the final day. (.wma)

During this major championship, no one melted down. Allen Doyle was the only player with a sub par round on Sunday.

Allen Doyle, the oldest U.S. Open winner at 58 years and 13 days. (.wma)

Doyle is the first repeat Champion since Gary Player. Doyle said he enjoyed this major more, his fourth, because he is still recovering from knee surgery.

It's time for a little insight. I was talking with Bill Greenleaf at the Dunes of Maui Lani and with Eddie Lee from the David Leadbetter Academy about the long game. One of the myths about the game of golf is that a bigger backswing leads to a bigger shot. It's just not so. You don't need to treat your spine like a rubber band to get distance. The key to good golf is swinging forward with speed and power toward to target and staying in balance. Make an appointment with a professional to help maximize your potential.

At Makena on Maui, Brendan Moynahan, the head professional at the Big Island's Hualalai Golf Club shot a 1 over par 73 in the second round to win the 36 hole Aloha Section PGA professional championship. He finished three shots ahead of Wailea's Eliot Gouveia. Moynahan is the son of award winning club designer Mike Moynahan of Kula. Will be on "The Golf Club" radio show July 22nd. You can listen to them at www.radiogolfclub.com, click on the listen button and scroll down to the show. Kevin Hayashi from the Big Islands Mauna Kea resort finished third and now all three are qualified for the PGA professional national championship at Sunriver Resort in Sunriver Oregan next June.

ALOHA SECTION PGA PROFESSIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Brendan Moynahan, Hualalai GC, $2,500 68-75-143 -1
Eliot Gouveia, Wailea GC, $1,250 74-72-146
Kevin Hayashi, Mauna Kea Resort, $1,000 73-75-148
Brian Sasada, Makena GC, $900 71-78-149
David Braxton, Wailea GC, $775 71-79-150
Scott Gileta, Kapalua GC, $775 74-76-150
Andrew Feldmann, Oahu CC, $650 81-70-151
Tommy Hines, Ko Olina GC, $525 74-78-152
Kevin Carll, Turtle Bay Resort, $525 80-72-152
Mike Iyoki, U.S. Army Golf, $462.50 78-75-153
Kirk Nelson, Makena GC, $462.50 75-78-153
Craig Sasada, Poipu Bay GC, $425 81-73-154
Brad Bowen, Kahili GC, $387.50 77-78-155
Paul Ito, Puakea GC, $387.50 74-81-155
Steven Murphy, Princeville Resort, $337.50 80-77-157
Jerry King, Kapalua GC, $337.50 73-84-157
Clif Council, Maui Golf Shop, $100 81-79-160
Colin Dignam, Waikoloa Kings Course, $100 80-80-160
Stephen Sanchez, Kapalua GC, $100 76-84-160
Lance Taketa, Hilo Muni 83-78-161
Dugal Milne, Makena GC 82-79-161
Scott Carroll, Kapalua GC 79-82-161
Matt Pakkala, Kukio G&BC 79-82-161
Mark Morrison, SwingPlay The Easy Way 82-80-162
David Pritchett, Waikoloa Beach Resort 80-82-162
Sean Lanyi, Ko Olina GC 83-80-163
Rick Castillo, King Kamehameha GC 73-90-163
Ray Suzuki, Waialae CC 84-80-164
Darren Sayre, The Club At Hokulia 86-79-165
Mark Seki, Makena GC 83-82-165
Scott Bridges, Makena GC 83-84-167
Brad Baptist, Mauna Kea GC 86-82-168
Rodney Acia, Hilo Muni 85-83-168
Rusty Hathaway, Wailea GC 86-92-178
Wade Nishimoto, Adams Golf 85-95-180

Now on the Japan for the Fuji Xerox USA vs Japan Collegiate Golf Championship, the United States won it's 11th straight championship. The United States won 17 of 24 final round points to defeat Japan 37 to 23 at Sun Hills Country Club in Japan's Tochigi Prefecture.

31st Fuji Xerox USA vs. Japan Collegiate Golf Championship
Final Round Results
Sunhills Country Club

United States 37
Japan 23

Irene Cho USA halved Tomoko Yokoyama, Japan USA, 21-17
Tiffany Joh, USA def. Chika Yamamoto, Japan, 75-77 USA, 23-17
Miki Saiki, Japan def. Jane Park, USA, 69-72 USA, 23-19
Amanda Blumenherst, USA def. Erina hara, Japan, 68-71 USA, 25-19
Dustin Johnson, USA def. Daisuke Yasumoto, Japan, 73-80 USA, 27-19
Alex Coe, USA def. Masahiko Sanada, Japan, 70-75 USA, 29-19
Scott Brown, USA def. Yohei Nakamichi, Japan, DQ USA, 31-19
Erik Flores, USA def. Ayumi Kawamitsu, Japan, 72-75 USA, 33-19
Jake Ellison, USA def. Yuto Watanabe, Japan, 71-76 USA, 35-19
Colin Clark, USA def. Yuki Ito, Japan, 73-75 USA, 37-19
Toru nakajima, Japan def. Andrew Dresser, USA, 70-71 USA, 37-21
Yuta Ikeda, Japan def. Dillon Dougherty, USA, 69-78 USA, 37-23

At the middle of July, we were all hoping for a Tiger Woods victory in England at "The Open" . Woods is the defending champion but this year the event is played at Royal Liverpool for the first time in just about 40 years. We're hoping for a Woods win at one of the majors so he'll be in the field for the PGA of America Grand Slam of Golf at Poipu on Kauai. The last major is the PGA Championship at Medinah Hills Country Club. Woods means more viewers for TNT around the world and his presence guarantees a good turnout at Poipu Golf Club. Cross your fingers for a strong Woods comeback after he missed the cut at the U.S. Open.

Tiger Woods misses the cut at his second major since turning professional.

One more moment for Tadd Fujikawa from the U.S. Open. He really did have a good rapport with the media!

Tadd Fujikawa at the U.S. Open at Winged Foot. (.wma)

But the biggest surpise at the U.S. Open was the Phil Mickleson meltdown on the 18th hole in the final round. We thought he had this one in the bag, and so did he, until the ball he was hitting started off by falling into a garbage can, then off the tent and into the gallery and then the bunker. You name it, Mickleson did it, finally calling himself an "idiot" . A little harsh but I can't say I blame him for feeling like that after watching his lead and the title slip away.

Phil Mickleson on losing the U.S. Open (.wma)

Colin Montgomerie was so close a win, he could taste it and he was even smiling. I had to add this shot because how often to you see Montgomerie smile.

As it turned out, Geoff Ogilvy from Australia is the U.S. Open champion this year, the first Australian to do it since 1981.

Geoff Ogilvy, the 2006 U.S. Open winner

Ogilvy finished 5 over par 285, with Jim Furyk, Colin Montgomerie and Phil Mickleson in a three way tie for 2nd (.wma)

ESPN has been holding the ESPN National Golf Challenge Qualifier at Turtle Bay for the past four years. This year junior golfers, 12 year old Cyd Okino and 18 year old Jaclyn Hilea won the gross division honors at the Arnold Palmer course with a better ball 6 under 66 which puts them in the Regional Finals on August 27th at Turtle Bay. Also advancing to the Regional are the teams of Sam Rodriquez III and Haku Maluenda who shot a 69 and Sergio Meneses and Abel Soares III shooting a 70.

Cyd Okino in the ESPN National Golf Challenge Qualifier at Turtle Bay.

Jacyln Hilea at Turtle Bay

In the net division the winning team of Clifford Nishikawa and Henry Fujita shot a 61. Also advancing to the regional are the teams of William Paik and Dennie Lee, and Gerald Sur and Wendell Pacada. Mililani Golf Club, Coral Creek and Pearl Country Club also held local qualifiers.

The 2006 Calloway Junior World Golf Championships were held in San Diego, California this July with golfers in Boys and Girls divisions for 15-17 year old, 13 and 14 year old, 11 and 12 year old, 9 and 10 year old, 7 and 8, plus 6 and under. There were 41 children from Hawaii in all of the Girls and Boys divisions except in the Girls 6 and under.

In the Boys 15-17, Matthew Gils from Australia won with an 8 under total. None of our boys made the cut, but all of these boys played: Max Bonk of Kamuela, Nick Shimozaki of Kihei, Alex Ching of Honolulu, and Cyrus Ogawa of Kapaa.

In the Girls 15-17, we had a strong finish from Ayaka Kaneko. She placed 2nd with a 15 under 281 shooting rounds of 72, 69, 72, and 68. She was bested by one shot by Japanese golfer Mika Miyazako. Miki Ueoka from Lihue, Kelcie Kawano from Kahului, Elyse Okada from Kahului, Nicole Sakamoto from Honolulu, Kristina Ku Merkle from Honolulu and Katie Sisler from Honolulu all played but didn't make the cut.

In the Boys 13-14, Austin Cody of South Carolina won with a 5 under total. Allika Bell of Kaneohe placed tied for 11th and Bradley Shigezawa of Honolulu placed tied for 14th. Zakary Akagi-Bustin of Wahiawa and Brian Lee of Honolulu were there too.

Grils 13-14, Cyna Marie Rodriquez of the Philipines won with a 3 under. Hilo's Summer Mizusawa placed tied for 17th and Hayley Young of Honolulu placed 32nd. Dayna Bersamin of Kihei and Britney Yada of Hilo played too.

Boys 11-12, Grayson Murray of North Carolina swept the field with an 11 under but Honolulu's Lorens Chan did alright too, finishing in 5th place. Alex Chiarella of Makawao and Joshua DeFreitas also played.

Girls 11-12, Dottie Ardina of the Philippines came in first with a 10 under par over 3 days. Wailuku's Kyung Kim placed 7th and Lihue's Kelli Oride finished tied for 15th. Marissa Chow also played.

Boys 9-10, Rico Hoey of California won and Richard Hattori finished tied for 10th and Skye Inakoshi finished tied for 21st. Kailua's Paul Samiere and Kapolei's George Korpuz also played.

Girls 9-10, Marijosse Navaro of Mexico won and we didn't place but Kamuela's Ciera Min, Honolulu's Eimi Kaga, Kula's Marissa Uradomo, Kahului's Kimberlie Miyamoto and Kaneohe's Iris Kawada were out there swinging their clubs!

Boys 7-8 was won by Sahith Theegala from California. From Hawaii, Honolulu's Sian Rogers, Hilo's Shon Katahira and Kahuku's Keonu Akina were working hard. I hope they continue.

Girls 7-8, Allison Corpuz of Kapolei placed 2nd to Clare Amelia Legaspi of the Philipines. Mariel Caldiano was also playing.

Boys 6 and under was won by Galven Kendell Green of Malaysia and Kai Samiere from Kailua played strong.

There were children from around the world at this event and most of the 50 states.

As I'm writing this for my deadline, passed it actually, we have 6 girls from Hawaii competing and three boys at the U.S Junior Girls and the US Junior Amateur, 2 of many USGA events held every year. On the girls side, Britney Choi of Wahiawa, Miki Ueoka of Wahiawa and Kyung Kim all qualified to be in the tournament at the Turtle Bay Resort.

In addition, Ayaka Kaneko, Kimberly Kim, and Stephanie Kono made the field. On the boys side, Sean Maekawa of Paauilo, Tadd Fujikawa of Honolulu and TJ Kua of Lihue are competing. Fujikawa qualified because he played in the US Open.

Remember, you can listen to "The Golf Club" anytime. Just go to www.radiogolfclub.com and click on the listen button, scroll down to a show that looks interesting and press play.

Until next time, thank you for your Mana and may you hit the sweet spot every time.

Aloha,
Danielle Tucker