Isle File
Hayashi wins match play

Advertiser Staff

Kevin Hayashi continued his march to become the Aloha Section PGA Player of the Year by winning the Match Play Championship over Kapalua's Todd O'Neal yesterday at Makena's North course on Maui.

Hayashi won his first match play title, 6 and 5, over O'Neal. The Hilo Muni pro previously won two Stroke Play Championships and the last two State Opens.

He led the Player of the Year race by more than 200 points going into this event. The State Open (Oct. 24-27) is the only tournament left where Player of the Year points can be earned.

Hayashi was 5-up after 12 holes yesterday and played the first 18 holes in 3-under 69. O'Neal won his first hole on the 13th, but was still five down at the break. Hayashi went 8-up on the 26th hole, lost the 28th and 29th, then halved the next two holes to close the match.

O'Neal reached the final by beating defending champion Brian Sasada in a Tuesday quarterfinal, 2 and 1. O'Neal then edged Brendan Moynahan, 1-up, in a semifinal. Hayashi advanced by defeating Tommy Hines, 2 and 1, and Andrew Feldmann, 4 and 3.

Larry Stubblefield won the section's first Senior Match Play title Tuesday, defeating Rodney Acia, 6 and 4, in their 36-hole final. This year, Stubblefield has won the Stroke Play Senior Championship, was runner-up, with Feldmann, in the 4-Ball Match Play Championship, and was overall champion at the Mid-Pacific Open.

TENNIS

• Henin cruises: Top seed Justine Henin breezed through her first-round match yesterday in the inaugural Big Island Tennis Championships at Hilton Waikoloa Village on the Big Island.

Henin, ranked No. 8 in the world, defeated Australia's Evie Dominikovic, 6-2, 6-0. Henin, a 19-year-old from Belgium, is trying to win her fifth Sanex WTA title. She reached the semifinals at the French Open this year, then upset Jennifer Capriati to reach the Wimbledon final.

Second-seeded Sandrine Testud, ranked 17th, also won in straight sets, dropping German Anca Barna, 6-2, 7-5. Fourth-seeded Lisa Raymond was the only seed extended to three sets in the opening round. She beat Japan's Saori Obata, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.

Qualifier Adrienn Hegedus, who plays for Brigham Young-Hawai'i, lost her opening round match against Rita Kutikis. Both players are from Hungary. Kutikis is ranked 72nd.

Second-round singles matches begin at 10 a.m. today. Henin, Testud and 19th-ranked Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario are all scheduled to play on the stadium court.