Wilson in PGA Championship
Advertiser Staff and News Services
Dean Wilson was among those given a special exemption to the PGA Championship, and he doesn't take those lightly. It was only his second exemption into any tournament, amazing considering he is ranked 60th in the world.
Then again, Wilson is an American who plays exclusively on the Japan Golf Tour.
"You would think my world ranking is high enough to get some starts, but it doesn't evolve around that," said Wilson, a Castle High School alum who recently moved to Las Vegas. "Being an American, the world ranking doesn't mean anything."
The ranking didn't come by accident.
The 31-year-old Wilson won three times on the Japan Golf Tour last year and finished third on the money list, and he has won twice this year and earned about $492,000.
Still, he didn't play in a PGA Tour event until qualifying for the U.S. Open last year at Southern Hills (he tied for 30th). Wilson couldn't even get an exemption into the Sony Open in Ho-nolulu, making the field only through Monday qualifying.
Wilson finished at 6-under 274, eight strokes behind Sony winner Jerry Kelly. Wilson earned $33,714.
His only other exemption? The Scottish Open at Loch Lomond.
Wilson will try to make the most out of playing in the PGA Championship. Along with a big purse (at least $5.2 million), a strong showing could move him into the top 50 in the world and get him into the World Golf Championship at Sahalee ($5 million purse).
The money could go a long way toward helping him follow in the steps of fellow American Brian Watts, who also played in Japan until he earned a ticket to the PGA Tour through his runner-up finish in the 1998 British Open.
"I took careful note of that," Wilson said.
Aloha Section
Ron Castillo Jr. won the Aloha Section PGA's 2002 AT&T Stroke Play Championship by six shots yesterday at windy Mauna Kea Golf Course on the Big Island.
Castillo is head pro at Hapuna, which also is part of the Mauna Kea Resort. His father, Ron Sr., won this event in 1972 and '76.
Castillo shot 36-41—77 in the final round, for a three-day total of 6-over-par 222. Oahu Country Club head pro Andrew Feldmann (78-228) took second on a difficult day that saw just five golfers break 80. Pearl Country Club's Beau Yokomoto (80—229) finished third.
Larry Stubblefield (79—227) successfully defended his Senior championship, beating Turtle Bay's Dennis Rose (78—229) by two shots.
Pacific Coast
Hawai'i's Jim Seki Jr. shot a 2-under-par 70 yesterday and was five strokes off the lead after two rounds of the 36th Pacific Coast Amateur Championship at Chula Vista, Calif.
Seki has a 36-hole total of 144. Nolan Martin of Colorado Springs, Colo., shot a 71 for 139 and a two-stroke lead over Brock Mackenzie of Yakima, Wash., at 71—141.
Hawai'i's Matthew Kodama shot 76 and is at 154.
Hawai'i, with a 298 total, is tied for 17th in the Morse Cup team competition. Northern California and the Southern California Stars are tied for the lead at 284.
Gateway Tour
Hawai'i's Regan Lee finished in a tie for 21st at The Gateway Tour's ninth stop yesterday in Phoenix.
Lee went into the final round tied for fifth, but closed with a 2-over-par 74 at Grayhawk Golf Course. His 54-hole total of 208 was seven behind winner Chris Ming (73-201).
Lee earned $1,305, giving him $22,599 in prize money.
