Tanoue, Perez oust former champs in Manoa Cup semis

By Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writer

Shannon Tanoue two-putted from the fringe on the par-5 15th for a birdie-4 to close out his Manoa Cup semifinal match with a 5-and-3 victory over Damien Victorino yesterday at Oahu Country Club. Andrew Shimabuku • The Honolulu Advertiser

Both took out former champions in yesterday's semifinals, scheduled for 36 holes at rainy, muddy, windy Oahu Country Club. The state's oldest tournament will have a new champion when they finish today. The final starts at 7 a.m.

Yesterday, Tanoue stopped 1996 winner — and 2002 finalist — Damien Victorino Jr., 5 and 3. Perez ousted 2000 champion Randy Shibuya, 6 and 5, saving his knockout punch for last.

On the 31st hole (438-yard par-5 13th), Perez punched his third shot through trees and up a slope. The ball rolled across the lower ledge of the left bunker and fed right, across the green and down the hill, stopping 18 inches below the hole.

"That was a Seve Ballesteros shot right there," said Perez, who was 2 when Ballesteros won his third British Open in 1988. "That shot was a little better than I planned it. It was just perfect."

Shibuya, 29, finished hiking to the top of OCC, took one look at Perez's ball and conceded.

"He just played very consistent all day," said Shibuya, who is the oldest Manoa Cup champion in the past five years. "I made too many mistakes to hang in there. ... I knew I was in trouble when my legs were tired in the first nine holes. I figured 36 holes would be too much."

Shibuya led just once, at 1-up after 10. Perez tied him the next hole, expanded his lead to 3-up by the 16th and never let Shibuya within three in the afternoon.

Perez said Shibuya's pure putting — "I knew every putt he stepped up to was going to be close" — forced him to stay aggressive. That fits his personality perfectly, particularly at this point in his golf life.

Perez entered golfing's magic "zone" prior to this year's state high school championship and apparently has no intention of leaving. He lost a playoff with Kurt Nino for the state title last month and has finished top five in three tournaments since with a charismatic blend of good golf and exuberance.

"Everything is going right," said Perez, a Moanalua graduate who will play for the University of Hawai'i in the fall. "I'm just hitting the ball great right now, really great. And, I made every putt coming down to the end today."

Tanoue, 25, works for Tropic Fish and Vegetable Center, the family business. His cousin is Stephanie Kono, who won the 2001 women's state match play at OCC. She has followed him everyday, but her only advice thus far has been, "Play good."

"I never play with Stephanie," Tanoue admitted. "I don't want her to outdrive me."

Victorino, at 35 the oldest semifinalist, couldn't catch him all day. Tanoue closed the match by drilling his second shot on the 581-yard, par-5 15th to the apron and two-putting.

He had won five of the first six holes in the morning when Victorino had a "sloppy" start in the rain. The gap never fell below four again despite Victorino's typically tenacious effort. He never putted well enough to threaten Tanoue, whose game remained at an exceptionally high level all 6 hours.

Like Perez, Tanoue will have a simple focus today.

"Keep it in the fairway, keep it in the short stuff," Tanoue said, echoing Perez's thoughts almost word for word. "If you hit every green, you should be all right if you can putt."

Reach Ann Miller at amiller@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8043.