Two other Hawai'i golfers — Samuel Cyr and Sean Maekawa — also were eliminated today.

Watabu, 24, and Paladino, 20, were tied through eight holes when the first round was postponed by darkness yesterday.

Watabu took a 1-up lead at No. 12, but Paladino came back to win the par-3 13th hole. Paladino took holes Nos. 16 and 17 to earn the victory.

"It was a wonderful experience while it lasted," Watabu said in a story at the tournament's Web site about his year-long reign, which included an invitation to the Masters. "He just made one or two less mistakes than me, and that was the outcome. I wish him the best of luck this week and I hope he goes far."

Watabu said his next USGA event will be the U.S. Amateur at The Olympic Club in San Francisco, in late August. After that championship, he said he'll weigh his options on turning professional.

"I am going to try hard to win that one," Watabu said. "Obviously if I don't win that, I won't make the (USA) Walker Cup team. Right now, it's just amateur stuff. I really haven't put any thought into turning pro. When the time is right, we'll figure it out."

Cyr, of Makawao, Maui, lost to Corey Nagy, of Charlotte, N.C., in the second round of match play, 2 and 1. Cyr, who will be a junior at Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.), is a two-time NAIA All-American.

Maekawa of Paauilo, Hawai'i, lost in the first round of match play to Jeff Dennis of Jacksonville, Fla., 3 and 2. Maekawa was this year's state high school champion for Honoka'a High School.

Meanwhile, Andy Roberts, the 64th and lowest seed, reached the final eight in match play. Roberts, an accountant from Owensboro, Ky., got into match play yesterday by surviving a 19-man playoff for the final 16 spots. He then upset top-seeded Mark Harrell of Hazlehurst, Ga.

Playing in his second USGA event, Roberts outlasted Nathan Pistacchio of Fresno, Calif., in 20 holes to advance to the round of 16. Then he knocked off William Mitchell of Roswell, Ga., 4 and 3 to reach tomorrow's round of eight.