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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, July 12, 2007

Maui's Cyr wins first at Public Links

Advertiser Staff

Samuel Cyr of Makawao, Maui, won his match yesterday while two other Hawai'i golfers saw their matches suspended because of darkness at the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championships in Wheaton, Ill.

Cyr, who tied for 49th in qualifying, upset No. 7 seed Daniel Worthman, 4 and 2, to advance to the second round. Only 15 of the scheduled 32 first-round matches were completed.

Defending champion Casey Watabu of Kapa'a, Kaua'i, who followed a first-round 80 with a 4-under 68 yesterday to get into the match-play draw, was all square through eight holes in his match against Brent Paladino of Kensington, Conn., when play was suspended.

Recent Honoka'a High graduate Sean Maekawa, the defending state high school champion, was 2 down to Jeff Dennis of Jacksonville, Fla., after 12 holes.

Two other Hawai'i golfers, Max Bonk of Waimea, Hawai'i, and Layne Morita of Kapa'a did not advance to match play.

First-round matches will resume this morning. Second-round matches also are scheduled to be played today with third-round matches to follow.

Quarterfinal and semifinal matches are scheduled for tomorrow, followed by the 36-hole final match on Saturday.

Cyr took the lead for good with a birdie on the par-4 fourth hole.

He went 2 up on Worthman with a par on the par-4 sixth and extended his lead to 3 up with a birdie on the par-5 14th. He closed the match by winning the 16th with a par.

Watabu, who beat current PGA Tour pro Anthony Kim in last year's final, survived a wild ride in stroke play to advance. He was in danger of missing the cut when he opened with his 8-over round that included a 10 on a hole, but rebounded with a strong second round that stretched over two days because of thunderstorms.

Watabu finished stroke play at 4-over 148. The cut for match play was 7 over as Watabu moved up to a tie for 25th place.

The low 64 scores after two rounds of stroke play advanced to match play.

In yesterday's completion of his second round, Watabu chipped in from 70 feet for birdie on the fifth hole, rolled in a 30-foot putt on No. 6 for an eagle and got up and down for another birdie on the par-5 seventh hole. The seventh hole was the same one at which he shot his 10 in the first round.

"I'm just glad stroke play is over," Watabu said in a story on usapl.org. "I got to regroup and go out this morning. I just got my energy (back). I think I was running out of gas."

Watabu played just one hole before his round was suspended Monday. On Tuesday, he played 29 holes before his medal-play round was halted.

Bonk had rounds of 81-74—155 to finish tied for 96th place. Morita had 84-91—175 for 152nd place.

Bonk finished his second round Tuesday before play was suspended. Morita played his second round yesterday.