Amateurs load up for Governor's Cup

By Bill Kwon
Special to The Advertiser

A 12-man amateur golf team led by Joe Phengsavath, Brandan Kop and Del-Marc Fujita will try to end the professionals' three-year winning streak in the Gov. John Burns Challenge Cup, Monday and Tuesday at the Mid-Pacific Country Club.

The two-day tournament is patterned after the Ryder Cup format with better-ball and alternate-ball team matches Monday and 12 individual matches the following morning.

The pros lead the series, 19-8 with one tie, since its inception in 1973. It will be the first time that the Burns Challenge Cup will be held at the Lanikai layout. It moved there last year but the matches were canceled because of rain.

Joining the three top amateurs, who led in points based on the year's tournaments, will be Randy Shibuya, Shannon Sibayan, Mark West, Blaine Kimura, Norman-Ganin Asao, Jonathan Ota, Ryan Koshi, Tommy Kim and Travis Toyama, who gained an automatic berth by winning the Manoa Cup.

Trying to keep the pros' winning streak going will be Regan Lee, who won three tournaments in 2002, Beau Yokomoto, Andrew Feldmann, Casey Nakama, Philip Chun, Ivan Cunningham, Ed Tischler, Chuck Davis, senior player Mike Iyoki, Paul Ito and Kevin Carll.

Kevin Hayashi and Aloha Section PGA Player of the Year Ron Castillo Jr., the top two pros in the point standings based on nine qualifying tournaments this year, will not be playing.

Also not entered because of other commitments despite being eligible are Neighbor Island pros Brian Sasada, Brendan Moynahan and Lance Taketa.

Unlike the pros, none of the 12 qualifying amateurs is skipping the event.

The reason is simple: Playing in the Governor's Cup makes the amateurs eligible to compete for the one amateur spot in the Sony Open in Hawai'i next year at the Waialae Country Club.

Ron Castillo Sr. (pros) and Phil Anamizu (amateurs) are the nonplaying captains.