Lee a wire-to-wire winner at Mid-Pacific Open

By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer

LANIKAI — With his great late grandfather looking over his shoulder and his closest competitor urging him on, Regan Lee closed out a wire-to-wire win yesterday in the Mid-Pacific Open.

Regan Lee's 272 is one off the tournament record. Advertiser library photo

"That wasn't on my mind today, but it has been throughout the week," said Lee, 26. "It's always an honor to do anything he has accomplished. I have a long way to go to come close to him, though."

One who wouldn't put it past him is Kevin Hayashi, Pearl Country Club's head pro and the reigning Aloha Section PGA Player of the Year. He came up second yesterday, three shots short. Yokohama pro Shinsuke Yanagisawa was another shot back and Ed Tischler was next at 279. The top four all shot 72 as the breeze returned to put the teeth back into Mid-Pac.

"Shooting 13-under and losing, you have to give credit to Regan," Hayashi said. "I was just trying to make birdies. I kept telling Regan to make birdies. We were keeping each other going out there.

"Regan is the up-and-coming guy. You've got to watch out for him. He has good work habits. He has a real good demeanor on the golf course, and obviously he has talent. Combine those three and, if he can get a sponsor, he can do some damage. He has no weakness now. That would be his strength."

Lee hopes to do his damage this summer on the Gateway mini-tour in Arizona. The third-year pro — last year's Waikoloa Open was his first professional victory — is concentrating solely on his golf game in preparation for his major move.

His major move yesterday came on the ninth hole. Lee took a three-shot lead into the final round, but Hayashi caught him on the fifth hole at 15-under. They remained tied until No. 9 (378 yards), when Lee lasered his second shot within four feet of the hole for birdie while Hayashi three-putted for bogey. As Hayashi studied a short birdie putt on the next hole — he would miss it — Lee snaked in a startling 30-footer to go three up.

"Kevin is the most known for making a lot of birdies," Lee said. "I was glad he was in my group so I could watch. He actually helped me more than he hurt me. He was very supportive. He was urging me on. I think they wanted me to break David Ishii's record, but I couldn't. I just tried to play conservative today. I didn't want to force anything, especially on the par-5s."

Lee's winning score was a shot off Ishii's record of 271, set in 1986, and 11 better than any winner since 1998. No one even broke par here two years ago.

"Luckily my short game kicked in," he said. "Thank God. ... I've been trying to practice some of these situations, pretend it's like a game. That helped me today."

SHORT PUTTS: Carl Matthews, who used to work at Mid-Pacific, had a double eagle in Thursday's first round. Matthews hit a 3-wood second shot into the third hole (589-yard par-5) from 243 yards out. ... Beau Yokomoto, the 2000 champion, finished fifth. ... Defending champion Larry Stubblefield tied for 10th.