Castillo Jr., Kia'aina win match play titles

By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer

Ron Kia'aina rolled to victory in the Aloha Section's match play senior division. Deborah Booker • The Honolulu Advertiser

A few more holes and maybe Kevin Hayashi could have made a meaningful putt and caught Ron Castillo Jr. A couple fewer, and maybe Rodney Acia wouldn't have felt so helpless late in the senior final against Ron Kia'aina.

But during yesterday's 36-hole finals, Castillo and Kia'aina played just enough holes just well enough to win. Castillo played his 35 holes in 6-under par. Kia'aina, 52, was 3-over for the long day, which concluded a long week of six rounds in four days.

Castillo's second match play title came via a 2-and-1 victory over Hayashi, who was trying to defend his title. Kia'aina pulled away from Acia in the afternoon to win 7 and 5.

Castillo, head pro at Hapuna, won this tournament five years ago and captured the section's AT&T Stroke Play Championship five weeks ago. He is the seventh golfer to win both Aloha Section majors in the same year, and the fourth in a row. The first was his father i and yesterday's caddy, Ron Sr. — in 1976.

Dad won this tournament four times and sister Lori Planos captured three national championships and two state women's titles in match play. The family has a penchant for the format's unique pressures, despite little Ron's denials.

"No, no, no. I don't thrive on match play," he said. "I found myself lucky to win this tournament once. To win two times ... I'm very uncomfortable being that pleased with myself. To beat Brian Sasada, Kevin Carll and Kevin ... that's a lot of satisfaction. It's an odd feeling to be so happy with yourself."

Castillo earned his joy. He played yesterday's first 15 holes in 6-under par. "I was just zoned in, if there is such a thing," Castillo said.

Hayashi, the section's Player of the Year twice since 1998, came back from 4-down to tie the match on the 22nd hole.

By the time they made the final turn Castillo was 2-up again, despite an eagle from Hayashi on the 25th hole (318-yard par-4 No. 7). While Acia — Hayashi's former boss at Hilo Muni — lined up an eight-foot birdie putt, Hayashi's drive rolled by, stopping six feet from the hole.

That would be the longest putt Hayashi would make at crunch time. Pearl Country Club's head pro caught Castillo again on the 30th hole, but pulled his drive two holes later and failed to save par. Castillo went 1-up and held on for the match as Hayashi missed from inside seven feet on the final two holes.

"The afternoon was a little different," Castillo said. "The pace was much slower, it was easy to lose focus. I told myself if you think of anything, think of hitting a great shot as opposed to thinking of holding up the trophy."

A year ago, Acia lost the inaugural senior match play final to Larry Stubblefield while Kia'aina — head pro at Mililani, Pukalani and Kiahuna — dealt with a bad case of acid reflux that burned in his chest and destroyed his golf game.

By the beginning of this year, Kia'aina had changed his diet, lost weight and his discomfort. By May, he had his game back. He tied for second at the Verizon Hall of Fame Championship and was the third senior at stroke play.

He is healthy enough now to play well throughout the "marathon" match-play week.

"To try and do very well and accomplish that ... ," Kia'aina said. "This week has been very inspiring."

He was 2-up after 18 holes yesterday, then "got comfortable." After 27, the gap was six and Acia, 55, didn't have the energy to chase. When Kia'aina hit his approach within two feet of the 31st hole, Acia conceded.

"At the break I sat down, got some rest," Acia said. "In the second round I was up first and hit the ball left. It went left every hole after that. My legs were dead."

Castillo won $1,500 and Kia'aina $1,200.

SHORT PUTTS: Since the Aloha Section PGA started in 1975, players have won the Stroke Play and Match Play titles in the same year eight times. Dick McClean did it twice, in 1986 and '89. ...ÊThe others were Ron Castillo (1976), Warren Chancellor (1980), Greg Meyer (1999), Brian Sasada (2000), Kevin Hayashi (2001) and Ron Castillo Jr. (2002).