AROUND THE GREENS
UH-Hilo perfect role model for schools taking up golf
By Bill Kwon
Golf has its role models — Tiger Woods or more recently, Michelle Wie. With Chaminade, Hawai'i Pacific and Brigham Young-Hawai'i all finally planning to start golf programs this fall to meet the NCAA Division II requirement for 10 sports, they too could use a role model.
Chaminade and HPU will field men's and women's golf, while BYUH will go with just the men for now. It still hasn't decided between golf and bowling for the women.
The three O'ahu schools — so far only HPU has named its golf coach, Mark Kalilikane, who will handle both programs — don't have to look too far for a program to model. They've got one in their own backyard in fellow Pacific West Conference member University of Hawai'i-Hilo.
Coached by Earl Tamiya, the Vulcans boast one of the most respected NCAA Division II golf programs in the country. They are hosting the 14th TaylorMade/Waikoloa Intercollegiate Tournament this week — an event that draws some of the top-ranked teams in the nation.
Of the 21 schools competing at the Kings' Course at the Waikoloa Resort on the Big Island, four are ranked in the top 10, according to the latest GolfWeek/Sagarin Poll: No. 4 UCLA, No. 5 Georgia Tech, No. 6 Texas Christian and No. 9 Arizona State.
Some of the individual standouts include ASU's Alejandro Canizares, the defending NCAA champion; TCU's Colby Beckstrom, who's ranked No. 3; and Adam Meyer, who's trying to become the first since Georgia Tech All-American Matt Kuchar to win back-to-back titles at Waikoloa.
There's a waiting list to play in the event, according to Tamiya, a mostly volunteer coach since taking charge in 1991. No wonder there's a sense of urgency to finish among the top 10 teams because they automatically qualify to return next year.
Tamiya wants his Vulcans to be recognized as the best Division II team in the West.
It's not easy. And it comes with a lot of personal sacrifice, which Tamiya says Chaminade, HPU and BYUH will also face in starting up their programs.
"It's a big commitment. For the Hilo golf program to survive, I have to raise $40,000," said Tamiya, whose golf budget of $18,000 doesn't come near the cost to operating the program. His Vulcans take about five trips, each costing roughly $5,000, to the Mainland every year.
"We can't do it without people like Waikoloa, TaylorMade and Hilo Muni, which lets us use the practice range for free," Tamiya said.
Another way in which he has defrayed expenses is by recruiting players who qualify under the Western Undergraduate Exchange program in which they pay in-state instead of out-of-state tuition. All of the western states except California are in the program.
The exchange program goes a long way in helping, Tamiya said, because under Division II rules, men are allowed only 3.6 scholarships, which he divides among his 12 players.
It's a struggle for even Division I University of Hawai'i, according to its men's coach, Ronn Miyashiro. As a member of the Western Athletic Conference, nearly one-third of UH's roughly $200,000 golf budget goes for airfare.
Both Tamiya and Miyashiro are glad to see Chaminade, HPU and BYUH add golf programs, even though at the moment the local talent isn't enough for even their two schools.
"It should help big time. Our local kids will get more opportunities to play, which they never had," Tamiya said.
It's less of a recruiting impact for Miyashiro.
"I think it's good. It'll give opportunities to players who can't get into our program. Not a lot of them can play Division I. But if you look at it as a whole, it's a positive thing. When you have more opportunities, it encourages them to stay in the game."
Still, there aren't that many golfers here as yet who can be competitive even on the Division-II level, according to Tamiya, whose goal is to field a team that's at least 50 percent from the state.
However, his biggest concern isn't what could be a shrinking talent pool to recruit from with the addition of more golf programs but how to remain competitive with a schedule strong enough to qualify for national events.
Bill Kwon can be reached at bkwon@aloha.net.
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Georgia Tech took a 10-stroke lead after the first round of the Taylor Made/Waikoloa Resort Intercollegiate yesterday at the Waikoloa Kings' Course.
UCLA was in second place at 282. Washington and Arizona State were tied at 283, followed by UC-Davis and Stanford at 284, Texas Christian (285), USC (286), Hawai'i-Hilo (289), and Arkansas, Nagoya and Tulsa at 293. Hawai'i-Manoa is last in the 21-school field at 306.
Georgia Tech's Nicolas Thompson leads with an 8-under 64.
UCLA's John Poucher and Washington's Brock Mackenzie are tied for second at 68. Seven players are tied at 69.
Hawai'i-Hilo won Tuesday's College-Am tournament with 180.
The event teamed local amateurs with college golfers.
— Advertiser staff
