Field, purse make Pearl Open tops for Hawai'i pros

By Bill Kwon

"I've always finished well at Pearl," says defending champion Greg Meyer. "It's kind of comfortable, like playing in your backyard." Advertiser library photo • June 20, 1999 PEARL OPEN WINNERS 54-hole par 216 2003—Greg Meyer, 209 2002—Kiyoshi Murota, 205 2001—Hidemichi Tanaka, 201 2000—Kevin Hayashi, 202 1999—Jeff Cook, 209 1998—Katsumasa Miyamoto, 197 1997—Kiyoshi Murota, 213* 1996—Shinichi Yokota, 204 1995—Lance Suzuki, 210 1994—Kevin Hayashi, 209 1993—Lance Suzuki, 211* 1992—Damien Jamila, 209 (a) 1991—David Ishii, 202 1990—David Ishii, 212 1989—David Ishii, 201 1988—Greg Meyer, 204 1987—Greg Meyer, 206 1986—Akiyoshi Ohmachi, 206 1985—Chris Santangelo, 206 1984—Namio Takasu, 204 1983—David Ishii, 203 1982—David Ishii, 208 1981—Norio Adachi, 212 1980—David Ishii, 214 1979—Namio Takasu, 215 *—won in playoff. a—amateur. Records 54-holes: Katsumasa Miyamoto, (19-under-par 197), 1998. Low round: Hidemichi Tanaka, (8-under-par 64), 2001.

"It's the biggest major for us," said Kevin Hayashi, a two-time winner and 2003 Aloha Section PGA player of the year. "For the local guys, it's the hardest tournament to win and it has the biggest purse."

Greg Meyer is the defending champion in the 26th annual event that starts tomorrow with the winner getting $12,000. Meyer will be joined in the 190-player field by Hayashi and five other former champions, Kiyoshi Murota, Namio Takasu, Jeff Cook, Lance Suzuki and David Ishii — a six-time winner.

It was first held in 1979 when Ishii, the host site's director of golf, hadn't even turned pro yet. He finished as the low amateur that year before making the 1980 Pearl Open his first victory as a professional.

"It started out as a goodwill tournament," said Allan Yamamoto, Pearl's golf head professional when Soichiro Honda bought the golf course overlooking Pearl Harbor.

"Originally, Mr. Honda wanted a friendship match between Hawai'i and Mainland players against players from Japan," Meyer said. "Over the years, it's now a lot more competitive."

So much so, that it's the tournament every local player wants to get into.

"Besides the Sony Open, it's the strongest field you'll see locally, because you're playing against Mainland and Japanese pros," said Lance Suzuki, who has played in every Pearl Open, winning in 1993 and 1995. "In terms of strength of field, Pearl is the one. It's always a first-class tournament.

"There's always a good feeling to play in that tournament. And now, it's not that easy a tournament to get in."

With a waiting list here and in Japan, tournament officials hold a qualifying round. Eighty-six players vied for the eight remaining spots Tuesday.

"Ask anybody what tournament they'd rather win, they'll tell you, the Pearl Open. Although Mid-Pac's a good tournament, it's mostly for local pros," Hayashi said, adding that it's the much same with the other local major, the Hawai'i State Open.

"That's why it's the hardest tournament to win locally," added Hayashi, who needed a hole in one at No. 16 on the final day to win the first of his two titles in 1994. He won again in 2000 by one stroke over Japanese pro Tatsuo Takasaki, who didn't realize he incurred a penalty stroke until his round was over.

"Mid-Pac (Open) probably has the tradition, but all local pros point to the Pearl Open. It's the biggest tournament as far as money is concerned," said Casey Nakama, who's still looking for his first victory.

He has come close — finishing second, a stroke behind Ishii in 1990.

"I'll never forget it because David won the Hawaiian Open the following week," Nakama said.

Neither will Ishii, who followed up with yet another victory in the Asahi Cup involving Japanese pros at Wailea, Maui, giving him three victories in as many weeks.

Ishii, 48, is coming off a good showing in the Sony Open despite tweaking his left knee, and figures the 2004 Pearl Open winner will come from among the younger guys in the field. He plans on returning to Japan after having arthroscopic knee surgery next week.

Meyer returns to the Japan tour after what he hopes will be a successful defense of his title this weekend.

He did it once before with back-to-back victories in 1987-88 in joining Ishii as the only repeat Pearl Open champions.

Meyer can't wait to get back to Japan because his wife, Akiko, is back home in Osaka with their 4-month-old daughter, Christy Rina.

"I've always finished well at Pearl. It's kind of comfortable, like playing in your backyard," Meyer said.

Which, it was, in a way. The Hilo native first worked nights there at the practice range in 1984 when he was on the University of Hawai'i golf team with Brandan Kop, Jonathan Ota and Makena's Mark Seki.

Ernie Els, Sony Open's back-to-back champion, might call Waialae a "hidden gem." But local pros know which tournament is a real pearl.

Bill Kwon can be reached at bkwon@aloha.net.