'AIEA — Before the 30th annual Hawai'i Pearl Open began, it was fascinating just to see the sheer diversity of the field, from sub-teens to teen idols, from some of the Japan Golf Tour Organization's premier golfers to the finest in Hawai'i, from three young girls to seasoned seniors.

In yesterday's first round that fascination came to life. Golfers from each of the distinct sub-groups generated interest on a Pearl Country Club course that weathered the wet weather to provide a near-flawless setting.

Azuma Yano, an animated 30-year-old who was 30th on the JGTO money list last year, shot into the lead with a bogey-free 6-under-par 66. A shot back are six-time Aloha Section PGA Player of the Year Kevin Hayashi, who has won here twice and had eight birdies, the JGTO's Hirotsugu Aoyama and Billy Hurley III, a naval officer stationed here through 2009.

Turtle Bay's Kiyoshi Murota, a 52-year-old still holding his own on the JGTO, is at 68 with two others. Murota has won this event twice and shows no signs of slowing, even with a mob of teenagers trying to track this title down.

"I'm going to utilize my experience," said Murota, grinning as always. "It's all about putting here and my experience will help me with that."

Kaua'i's Casey Watabu, the 2006 U.S. Amateur Public Links champion, is now a pro and among a bunch of others at 69, including former Hawai'i State Open champ Chad Saladin.

Hilo's Jarett Hamamoto, Hayashi's cousin and a two-time state high school champion who is also now a pro, is part of a crowd at 70.

In other words, with golfers allowed to play preferred lies (lift, clean and place) — or as Murota called it, "dropu" — it became a free-for-all and the pros and amateurs from Hawai'i, Japan and the Mainland pushed Pearl to its limits.

Murota said he was surprised at the depth of the young talent here, and compared Hawai'i juniors favorably to those in Japan, including the newest "It Kid," Ryo Ishikawa. He became the first teenager to win on the JGTO last May, at age 15, and turned pro with multi-million dollar endorsements last month.

Ishikawa, admittedly nervous, fired 72 in his first tournament as a professional — and got beat by everybody in his foursome. Ishikawa, 13th here last year, met his goal of four birdies, but struggled to read Pearl's greens and erased those with four bogeys.

"I must admit I was losing patience because I kept missing every shot," Ishikawa said through an interpreter. "I was trying to clear my mind and just go to the next ball."

About 100 spectators and media followed his every move on a course without the rope controls tour events usually use.

"I'm not sure there was anybody without a camera out there," said Hurley, who has played in seven PGA Tour events and never been in front of a gallery as large.

He set the pace for the marquee group with seven birdies. Hilo's Greg Meyer, a four-time Pearl champion, and Bradley Shigezawa, a Punahou sophomore, both beat Ishikawa by a stroke. Both had to rally, with Meyer playing his final six holes in 3-under — eagling the par-5 fifth — and Shigemura fighting back from 2-over after seven.

Hurley, 25, wants to play on tour after he fulfills his military service. He graduated from the Naval Academy in 2004, when he was also a Ping All-American.

When he had an opportunity to play on the 2005 Walker Cup team, "Big Navy" sent him back to the Academy as an economics instructor so he could practice.

That worked out, but when Hurley asked to transfer to the reserves as David Robinson had while in the NBA — promoting the Navy while he played professionally — he was turned down, in part because of the war in Iraq. He now serves on the USS Chung-Hoon here.

Joining Ishikawa at 72 are 12-year-old Masamichi Ito, disappointed in himself for losing focus and bogeying two of his final four. "I've got to bulk up mentally and physically," the tiny Ito said through an interpreter.

Punahou senior Stephanie Kono found only frustration on the greens and still shot 73 in her first men's tournament. That included three misses within eight feet and a chip-in at No. 15. "I couldn't make any putts so I thought I'd chip-in," joked Kono, headed to UCLA.

Punahou freshman Cyd Okino, 14, shot 78 in her second Pearl. It was a stroke better than Ai Ogawa, who plays on Japan's LPGA tour and was also here last year.

When it was over — or at least nearly over with an early rain delay and slow play preventing 44 of the 192 from finishing — it was easy to wonder if any professional tournament could beat the $80,000 HPO for variety.

Players who did not turn in a card included 13-year-old Lorens Chan and Toru Nakajima, who won the Hawai'i State Amateur here two years ago. Junpei Takayama, who led after the second round last year, came in late with a 72.

NOTES

Play begins at 7:15 a.m. today with the second round scheduled to start as soon as the first ends.

Pearl Director of Golf David Ishii, who has won this event six times, withdrew before the event started.

The field will be cut to the top 80 and ties after the second round, and the top 15 amateurs.

Reach Ann Miller at amiller@honoluluadvertiser.com.