AROUND THE GREENS
Ota, Yamamoto have big interest in Publinx

By Bill Kwon

Jonathan Ota is passing up the Public Links this year and next to concentrate on the Oahu Country Club Invitational. Advertiser Library photo • March 16, 2003

The two, former members of the University of Hawai'i golf team, had been eligible to participate: Ota earned medalist honors in the Kaua'i qualifying and Yamamoto had a year left on his 10-year exemption for winning the 1994 championship.

However, both stayed home for personal reasons.

Ota had to watch the fourth-generation company store, Tip Top Cafe in Lihu'e, Kaua'i, because his parents, Owen and Winnie Ota, are on vacation this week.

Yamamoto, director of golf at New 'Ewa Beach Golf Club, said he's taking a page out of part-time golfer Bruce Lietzke's book on parenting by taking his two young sons, Marcus and Micah, to summer T-Ball games.

A nagging injury to his left wrist that prevented him from practicing didn't help either, according to Yamamoto, who decided not to play two weeks ago.

"I'm a little disappointed, but I don't think I would have been prepared enough to play a lot of days in a row," said Yamamoto, who saw his streak of 10 appearances in the national event come to an end.

"I've enjoyed them all. I met a lot of new friends and visited a lot of states I wouldn't have," said Yamamoto, who informed the United States Golf Association of his decision with an appreciative letter.

Between the lines, but a huge factor in their decision not to go is the USGA ruling adopted several years ago to no longer reimburse travel expenses to those qualifying for national events.

"Cost is a factor. Hawai'i people suffer the most because we travel the farthest. And we have to fly, we cannot drive there," said Ota, who played in his fifth Publinx last year in Atlantic City, N.J.

"It's no longer a blue-collar tournament. The USGA took out the working men. It changed the complexion of the tournament. There are now more college players. It's unfortunate."

Both still support the USGA for encouraging amateur golf and plan to try qualify for the Public Links again.

"I'll have to do it the old fashion way and try to qualify again," Yamamoto said.

Ota will try again, but not next year. Instead he plans on defending his title in the Oahu Country Club Invitational, which will be held the same week as next year's Public Links.

"I've got to support OCC because they do so much to help amateur golf in Hawai'i. Like the Manoa Cup," Ota said.

That his parents went on vacation led to a serendipitous turn of events for Ota. Because he couldn't go to Minnesota, he entered the OCC Invitational instead for the first time in six years, finishing as the only player under par.

"I normally don't play in the OCC because it's the same time as the Public Links," he said.

The victory enabled Ota to regain the lead in the point standings to determine the 12-man amateur team for the Governor's Cup, an annual event with one of the biggest perks in local golf. The 12 members who make the amateur team play for an exempt spot in the Sony Open in Hawai'i.

Ota has won the special playoff twice in three years.

"For an amateur, it's always a thrill," said the 42-year-old Ota, who is enjoying quite a year despite playing an abbreviated golf schedule.

The OCC Invitational was his first tournament since February when he shot a final-round 6-under 66 to win low-amateur honors in the Hawai'i Pearl Open by three strokes over 14-year-old Michelle Wie.

"Now I can go back to Kaua'i and face my friends," Ota joked at the time.

As the only two amateurs in the 2004 Sony Open the month before, Wie posted a better score than Ota (141 to 148) to miss the cut by one stroke and also miss a chance at making golf history.

Ota counts his Pearl Open finish as a "victory," but not only because he beat Wie. Being the low amateur in a tournament boasting the best field of any local event other than the Sony Open is a major accomplishment, he said.

Other than playing in the Hochi Amateur next week in Osaka, Japan, along with Mark Chun and Neal Takara, Ota doesn't plan on teeing it up again until the Hawai'i State Open Nov. 18 to 21 at the Hawaii Prince Golf Club.

He's becoming almost as rare a local sighting as Wie, whom Ota said is simply "unbelievable."

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