Brent Paladino of Kensington, Conn., defeated defending champion Casey Watabu of Kapa'a, Kaua'i, 2 and 1, yesterday in the first round of match play of the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship at Cantigny Golf Club in Wheaton, Ill.

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

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

Watabu took a 1-up lead at No. 12 yesterday, but Paladino squared the match by winning the par-3 13th. Paladino then won Nos. 16 and 17 to earn the victory.

"It was a wonderful experience while it lasted," Watabu said in a story on 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 next month. After that, he said he will 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, 2 and 1.

Maekawa, of Paauilo on the Big Island, lost in the first round to Jeff Dennis of Jacksonville, Fla., 3 and 2.

Information from www.usapl.org was used in this report.