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Inside Hawaii Golf - Tournament Golf

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Hilo Invitational Golf Tournament, 2009

Hilo Municipal Golf Course - February 20 - 22

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From left to right is Lance Taketa, Tournament Co-Chairperson; Nick Mason (Professional) 2009 Hilo Invitational Champion, Nainoa Calip Low Amateur & Kevin Hayashi, Tournament Co-Chairperson. Photo by Lee Hardy.

2.22.2009-- Professional golfer Nick Mason stormed through the Hilo Municipal Golf Course on Sunday with a bunch of birdies—eight of them to be exact—and successfully defend his title at the Hilo Invitational Pro-Am and Golf Tournament.

Mason, who torched his final round with nines of 31-33 (64), finished with a two-day total of 9-under par (133). First round leader Jarett Hamamoto came in second posting scores of 67-70 (137). Mason becomes the first three-time winner of this event—now in its 12th year.

Professional Kevin Shimomura placed third with rounds of 69-69 (138).

In the amateur division, Kamehameha-Hawaii junior Nainoa Calip (68-71) won in a sudden-death playoff over Kellen-Floyd Asao (71-68) with a birdie on the first hole. Both golfers finished tied at 3-under par totals, and needed extra holes to determine the winner.

UHH Vulcan golfer Zadi Ari finished third 71-69 (140).

During the championship, Mason relied on great iron play—missing just one green in two rounds. “I felt really good about my distance control. I just couldn’t make any putts the first day”, said Mason.

“Yesterday, I had a lot of left to right putts. I couldn’t make any of them. Today, I tried to give myself better putts by hitting it to correct side of the hole”, Mason said. Mason prefers right to left putts.

And hitting it to the proper side he did—and making birdies on 1, 3, 6, 8, 9, 12, 14 and 16. Mason’s lone bogey for the day was a three-putt on the tenth hole.

Mason, who played here at the University of Hawaii-Hilo, likes how the golf course sets up for him. “It’s comfortable to my eye…I have played this course so many times, hit so many shots—I just re-live a lot of the good shots. Your confidence factor gets so high.”

Calip also tried his best to stay relaxed at his home course. But playing in the leader group of a championship is no small task, even for seasoned veterans.

“My mindset was to try and make more birdies”, Calip said. “I didn’t want to think about what the others were doing and try to stick to my own game.”

While not striking the driver as well as he had done in the previous day, Calip tried to take advantage of the “preferred lies” the golf tournament was forced to play under. “I missed a handful of greens but chipped decent enough to give me a chance for par.”

Calip got it to 5-under for the tournament but a double-bogey on the final hole almost cost him low amateur honors.

“I piped it (the driver) on 18, but pushed an 8-iron and hit a tree, bounced on the path twice before ending behind a clump of trees’, Calip said.

He ended up chipping across the green, putted to 10 feet, and missed the bogey putt. But Calip, who has been playing since he was 6 years old, found out he was tied and needed to play more golf to determine the low amateur champion.

Asao, of Honolulu, is no stranger to playoffs in the Hilo Invitational. Back in 2005, Asao won the tournament with a birdie putt on the 1st playoff hole to capture the 8th Hilo Invitational over Garrett Okamura. Asao was the 2nd amateur to win the tournament—Mason did that in 2004. 

But it was the steady nerves of the private school Warrior that prevailed as Calip made a clutch 15 foot birdie putt to seal his biggest tournament feat yet. Calip is also the defending BIIF Individual golf champion.

In his victory speech, the soft-spoken Calip thanked his parents (Warren and Mary) as well as his golf coach (Hilo Municipal professional Kevin Hayashi) for their support and help. Mason was also thanked all the support the community gives to help promote and fund this tournament. “The sponsors are so generous, even in times like these’, said Mason. “I hope this tournament continues forever, and I plan to be back here next year.”

It is a sure bet Nick Mason has a special place in his heart for Hilo—and so does Hilo.

Just one divot: This year, the Hilo Invitational Pro-Am and Golf Tournament selected the UHH Women’s Golf Team and Big Island Junior Golf as this year’s recipients of the charitable donation from the tournament committee. Jim DeMello, UHH Women’s Head Golf Coach and Jodie Kimura, President of Big Island Junior Golf Association was on hand to receive the checks.

By: Lee Hardy

Final full field results posted below.

2009 Hilo Invitational Pro-Am & Golf Tournament
      Round 1   Round 2   36 hole  
Rank Last Name, First Name   +/- front back total   front back total   total  
1 Mason, Nick (P) -9 35 34 69   31 33 64   133  
2 Hamamoto, Jarett (P) -5 33 34 67   35 35 70   137  
3 Shimomura, Kevin (P) -4 35 34 69   33 36 69   138  
4 Asao, Kellen Floyd (A) -3 37 34 71   36 32 68   139  
5 Calip, Nainoa (A) -3 34 34 68   34 37 71   139  
6 Ari, Zadi (A) -2 33 38 71   34 35 69   140  
7 Hayashi, Kevin (P) -1 35 34 69   36 36 72   141  
8 Masuda, Ryan (P) -1 36 35 71   35 35 70   141  
9 Perez, Ryan (A) -1 36 33 69   37 35 72   141  
10 Watabu, Casey (P) -1 39 31 70   36 35 71   141  
11 Fujieki, Bou-An (A) 0 36 36 72   35 35 70   142  
12 Toyama, Travis (P) 0 36 35 71   35 36 71   142  
13 Carll, Kevin (P) 1 37 34 71   38 34 72   143  
14 Chan, Lorens (A) 1 36 36 72   36 35 71   143  
15 Ishii, David (P) 1 36 36 72   35 36 71   143  
16 Ma, Matthew (A) 1 36 37 73   35 35 70   143  
17 Igawa, Chris (A) 2 38 37 75   37 32 69   144  
18 Roseberry, Kenneth (P) 2 38 36 74   36 34 70   144  
19 Amuro, Clayton (A) 3 35 33 68   38 39 77   145  
20 Goulding, Logan (A) 3 35 40 75   38 32 70   145  
21 Hearn, John (P) 3 36 37 73   37 35 72   145  
22 Lindsay, Leland (P) 3 40 35 75   38 32 70   145  
23 Low, Jacob (P) 3 37 35 72   38 35 73   145  
24 Yosaitis, Bradley (A) 3 39 35 74   36 35 71   145  
25 Chun, Aaron (P) 4 39 36 75   35 36 71   146  
26 Estrada, Rodolfo (A) 4 34 34 68   39 39 78   146  
27 Mitsutani, Ross (P) 4 33 36 69   42 35 77   146  
28 Yagi, Darryl (A) 4 39 36 75   36 35 71   146  
29 Zane, Stephen (A) 4 38 38 76   34 36 70   146  
30 Okamura, Garrett (P) 5 37 38 75   34 38 72   147  
31 Yamauchi, Dalen (A) 5 36 40 76   37 34 71   147  
32 Yokomoto, Beau (P) 5 37 37 74   35 38 73   147  
33 McBride, Kevin (A) 6 38 38 76   37 35 72   148  
34 Taketa, Lance (P) 6 37 38 75   36 37 73   148  
35 Fan, Michael (A) 7 38 36 74   37 38 75   149  
36 Nakama, Casey (P) 7 38 39 77   36 36 72   149  
37 Notley, Lloyd (A) 7 37 38 75   36 38 74   149  
38 Oride, Cory (A) 7 39 36 75   37 37 74   149  
39 Cabico, Niel (A) 8 35 36 71   40 39 79   150  
40 Inaba, Daryl (P) 8 38 38 76   38 36 74   150  
41 Kim, David (P) 8 37 36 73   39 38 77   150  
42 Sasada, Brian (P) 8 38 36 74   36 40 76   150  
43 Valdivia, Jesus (A) 8 37 39 76   36 38 74   150  
44 Whitworth, Jack (P) 8 40 36 76   39 35 74   150  
45 Yamashita, Tommy (A) 8 35 40 75   40 35 75   150  
46 Lee, Reynold (P) 9 38 37 75   39 37 76   151  
47 Min, Ciera (A) 9 36 39 75   37 39 76   151  
48 Natori, Grant (A) 9 40 36 76   39 36 75   151  
49 Prince, Dean (P) 9 37 38 75   41 35 76   151  
50 Oki, Douglas (A) 10 38 38 76   38 38 76   152  
51 Okino, Cyd (A) 10 37 37 74   40 38 78   152  
52 Dias, Kelii (A) 11 36 37 73   38 42 80   153  
53 Lee, Regan (P) 11 40 36 76   40 37 77   153  
54 Manalili, Herman (P) 11 39 36 75   42 36 78   153  
55 Shibuya, Randy (P) 11 37 39 76   39 38 77   153  
56 Tanaka, Al (A) 11 41 37 78   38 37 75   153  
57 Smith, Brett (A) 12 39 40 79   39 36 75   154  
58 Hamamoto, Layne (A) 12 38 38 76   41 37 78   154  
59 Jaffurs, Isaac (A) 12 38 39 77   41 36 77   154  
60 Keiter, Chris (P) 12 41 40 81   38 35 73   154  
61 Pavao, Duane (A) 12 40 38 78   38 38 76   154  
62 Yada, Britney (A) 12 41 36 77   41 36 77   154  
63 Hardy, Lee (P) 13 41 42 83   36 36 72   155  
64 Johnson, Landon (A) 13 38 38 76   38 41 79   155  
65 Kegel, Clive (A) 13 42 36 78   39 38 77   155  
66 Yamane, Cole (A) 13 39 39 78   40 37 77   155  
67 Nakamoto, Mitsuo (P) 14 40 38 78   38 40 78   156  
68 Armanini, Chris (A) 15 37 42 79   40 38 78   157  
69 Damaso, Nestor (A) 15 40 40 80   39 38 77   157  
70 Oride, Michael (A) 16 39 38 77   43 38 81   158  
71 Saka, David (A) 16 42 38 80   39 39 78   158  
72 Umeda, Kean (P) 16 41 36 77   42 39 81   158  
73 Carvajal, Hector (A) 17 39 40 79   40 40 80   159  
74 Ka'aihue, Kala (A) 17 39 41 80   36 43 79   159  
75 Kozuma, Corey (A) 17 42 42 84   35 40 75   159  
76 Masterson, David (A) 17 39 38 77   39 43 82   159  
77 Moore, Eddie (P) 17 41 34 75   44 40 84   159  
78 Kouchi, Don (A) 18 39 39 78   41 41 82   160  
79 Stark, Rohn (P) 18 37 39 76   39 45 84   160  
80 Felix, Ryan (A) 20 43 42 85   40 37 77   162  
81 Gani, Villamor Jr. (A) 20 40 39 79   41 42 83   162  
82 Malson, Laine (A) 20 40 41 81   42 39 81   162  
83 Oride, Kelli (A) 20 44 40 84   39 39 78   162  
84 Mariano, Abe (P) 21 39 43 82   40 41 81   163  
85 Yoneishi, Randy (A) 21 38 39 77   44 42 86   163  
86 Tengan, Arnold (A) 22 39 39 78   44 42 86   164  
87 Akagi-Bustin, Zakry (A) 23 41 43 84   43 38 81   165  
88 Matsushima, Nick (A) 23 41 41 82   44 39 83   165  
89 Rice, Peter (A) 23 41 39 80   43 42 85   165  
90 Harman, John (P) 26 43 43 86   42 40 82   168  
91 Hirata, Jonathan (A) 28 40 41 81   42 47 89   170  
92 Nonies, Steve (A) 28 44 40 84   41 45 86   170  
93 Chun, Brenden (A) 29 41 42 83   42 46 88   171  
94 Taketa, Landan (A) 35 43 46 89   41 47 88   177  

 

 

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