Ishii lone Hawai'i golfer to make cut
By Bill Kwon
Special to The Advertiser
History was put on hold when 14-year-old Michelle Wie missed the cut in a PGA Tour event by one stroke yesterday.
However, a couple of 48-year-old friends — David Ishii and Scott Simpson — will continue playing through the weekend in the Sony Open.
Getting in on a sponsor's exemption, Simpson shot his best round in years, a 4-under-par 66, for a 36-hole score of 136 to join 78 others in making the cut, including Ishii, who had posted a 66 the day before for his best round in more than a year while playing on the Japan tour.
"Maybe this is the year David and I will get it going," said Simpson, the 1987 U.S. Open champion and former Kailua resident.
"I'm glad Scott's in. He told me he played bad last year," said Ishii, who finished with a 71 yesterday for a 137 total, chasing leader Steve Allan by eight strokes going into today's third round at the Waialae Country Club.
Ishii and Simpson have been friends since playing against each other in junior golf. Now, both are hoping to take it to the next age level — the Champions Tour two years from now.
Ishii, who won the 1990 Hawaiian Open when Waialae played to a par 72, was the only golfer with Hawai'i ties to make the cut, which was 1-under 139.
Wie was joined by PGA Tour member Dean Wilson in being a shot away at 140, while Kiahuna head pro Ron Castillo Jr. had a 141.
Greg Meyer finished birdie-eagle for a 68 but a tree-troubled 74 in the opening round put him at 142, while Kevin Hayashi ended with a 145, amateur Jonathan Ota 150 and Dave Eichelberger 157.
Hayashi, though, enjoyed playing both rounds with Wie despite being the media attention.
"She could have made history today. I was glad to be a part of it. I had the best seat in the house," said "Uncle Kevin," as Wie now calls the Mauna Kea Resort teaching pro.
"It might cause some controversy but I hope she plays again next year. Look at all the people who came out on a Thursday and Friday. And obviously, she could have made the cut. She only missed by one stroke and she's 14. Next year she's 15, maybe she'll make it by one stroke."
Wie wasn't the only wahine who had fun on the golf course yesterday. Brea Simpson is caddying for her father.
"He did really good the last time I did it here five years ago," said Brea, 21, a senior at Loyola Marymount.
Starting on the back nine, Simpson birdied the 10th and 18th holes, traded bogeys and pars during one stretch on the more difficult front side, and finished birdie-birdie.
Last year, Simpson suffered his worst year in career earnings since 1980, finishing 216th with $78,153. His best finish was 27th in the MCI Heritage.
Ishii started the day 4-under but bogeyed five, six and seven because of some bad iron shots. He got one back with a birdie at eight and then parred every hole until another birdie at the par-3 17th for the second day in a row.
Castillo was satisfied with his result.
"I'm proud of the way I played. I had my chances," said Castillo, whose 141 was the same score he had when he missed the cut in the 1998 Hawaiian Open. Then a 141 was 3-under-par.
Eichelberger, the oldest player in the field at 60, qualified on Monday with the hopes of tuning up for next week's MasterCard Championship at Hualalai.
The two rounds were an "altogether painful experience," he said. "It let me know my game is not quite up to PGA Tour standards, that's for sure."
