Defending champion Kevin Hayashi fired a 7-under-par 65 yesterday for a one-stroke lead after the opening round of the 2001 Hawai‘i Pearl Open at Pearl Country Club.
Hayashi, a professional at Hilo Municipal on the Big Island, had nines of 32-33 at the 6,750-yard hillside course over looking Pearl Harbor.
Hayashi, who also won this tournament in 1994 and was the Aloha Section PGA Player of the Year last season, has a one-stroke lead over Hidemasa Hoshino of Japan.
Japan’s Takashi Hasegawa and 2000 Mid-Pacific Open winner Beau Yokomoto are two strokes behind at 67.
Dinesh Chand, a member of the Japan PGA Tour who shot a 64 in Thursday’s Pro-Am, led a group of six golfers at 68. Kane‘ohe’s Dean Wilson, Olomana professional Casey Nakama, Todd Fisher, Steve Jurgensen and Jim Johnson were also at 68.
Masamitsu Harano of Japan was the low amateur yesterday with a 70. Hawai‘i’s Ryan Koshi, who was low amateur last year, opened with a 71.
The second round will be played today with the low 80 and ties (professionals) and the top 15 amateurs qualifying for tomorrow’s final 18 holes.
