Wouldn't it be fun to watch Dean Wilson and Parker McLachlin, two golfers from here on the PGA Tour, battling it out in the Hawai'i State Open someday?

McLachlin likes the chances of it happening, although it won't be this week when Wilson defends his title in the 54-hole tournament beginning tomorrow at the Hawai'i Prince Golf Club.

"Definitely, I want to play in the state open one of these years. I want to get my name on that trophy like he did," said McLachlin, referring to Wilson's victory last year.

McLachlin said he kiddingly gave Wilson "a hard time" about it. "I told him, you made a million dollars on tour. This is one of the biggest tournaments for the local pros and you stole their money," said McLachlin, a fellow millionaire on the PGA Tour this year. "I thought it was a nice gesture that he donated what he won to the junior golf program."

Wilson signed over his winning $7,500 paycheck to the O'ahu Junior Golf Association after finishing with a 9-under-par 207 to win by one stroke over Joe Phengsavath and John Lynch. Don't be surprised if it's deja vu all over again now that Wilson has shown up for the Hawai'i State Open for the second straight year.

Wilson is glad to be here, although he had hoped to get an invite to play in Japan where he had won six times before joining the PGA Tour. "It didn't work out," Wilson said. But playing in the state open was something he wanted to do anyway, he added.

"We're very honored to have Dean Wilson play in the Hawai'i State Open again," said Donn Takahashi, president of Prince Resorts Hawai'i, title sponsor for the sixth straight year.

Having Wilson gives an added boost to an open flight that includes Lynch, the Aloha Section PGA's stroke-play champion and leader in points for 2008 player of the year, and previous state open winners Tom Eubank, Jarett Hamamoto, Brian Sasada and Kevin Hayashi, the only three-peat champion (1999 to 2001). Cyd Okino will shoot for a three-peat in the 11-player women's field. Casey Nakama, who won in 1987, makes his debut in the senior flight that will include defending champion Larry Stubblefield, seven-time winner Dean Prince, and Dave Eichelberger, who plays on the PGA Champions Tour.

The attention, though, will be focused on Wilson, who earned $1,350,002 to finish 79th on the 2008 PGA Tour money list. It was the third straight year in which he made seven figures. More than 50 percent of his winnings came in only three of the 32 events he entered — third-place finishes in the AT&T Classic and the U.S. Bank Championship, and a tie for 10th in the Players Championship.

As for his plans in 2009, it'll obviously start with the Sony Open in Hawai'i. "It'll be about the same schedule as this year, most of the West Coast tournaments, then we'll see how I feel," Wilson said.

He hopes, though, for a better start than this year when he missed the cut in four of the first five events he played, including the Sony Open.

Wilson, who resides in Las Vegas, will return home again next month to celebrate his 39th birthday (Dec. 17) and spend Christmas with his family in Kane'ohe, making it very likely that this weekend won't be the last Dean Wilson Sighting locally before the Sony Open next January.

He could be playing in the 36th Gov. John A. Burns Challenge Cup Dec. 22 to 23 at the Turtle Bay Resort as a captain's pick by Ron Castillo Sr., who heads the professional team against the amateurs.

"The timing is perfect," said Wilson. "I don't want to commit to anything beforehand, especially if I might not be able to make it. But it's a good possibility that I will play (if selected)."

So here's yet another scenario worth waiting for: Imagine if Castillo also selects Tadd Fujikawa, who says he's also willing to play, if asked.

It's a nice dilemma for Castillo, who will announce his 12-player team sometime following the state open. "I'm first going to ask the top 15 who qualify if they're going to play. If I can't get 12 guys from the 15, I'll pick Tadd to fill in," said Castillo, well aware he has to go deep down the list as in previous years because so many of the pros have other commitments.

For Fujikawa, a Moanalua High School senior who has yet to make a cut since turning professional, playing in the Governor's Cup would be a good two-day outing to work on his game. He recently learned that he wouldn't be getting a sponsor's exemption to the 2009 Sony Open despite his sensational showing in the PGA event two years ago.

"Unfortunately, we heard back from the Sony people and they told me they won't give me an exemption," said Fujikawa, who received one this year but missed the cut by four strokes.

Fujikawa says he will try to earn his way in the Monday qualifying during the week of the tournament, which is scheduled for Jan. 15 to 18 at the Waialae Country Club.

The youngster would be a good Governor's Cup pick. He's unbeaten, going 6-0 in two previous Cup appearances as an amateur. "It'd be great if I could play," said Fujikawa, who isn't entered in the Hawai'i State Open because he made an earlier commitment to play in a benefit golf tournament hosted by Philadelphia Phillies' star Shane Victorino at the Makena Resort Saturday.