Tsunami warnings didn't scare Am Tour players in first round of Kauai Open
Koloa, HI- The Golf Channel Am Tour Hawaii completed the first round of the 2011 Kauai Open just 1 day after the Hawaiian Islands was threatened by Tsunami's. Following the devastation from a massive 8.9 earthquake in Japan, the state of Hawaii was placed under a Tsunami Warning for several hours. A few Am Tour players were evacuated from their hotels in the middle of the night and forced to seek refuge at local schools, while some others were stuck at airports for long hours waiting and hoping for the Lihue airport to be opened. However, none of this seemed to bother the first round leaders.
In the Championship flight, Jimmy Kawaihalau and Casey Kimura battled each other all day. Casey jumped out to an early lead with a birdie on the par-5 2nd hole only to give it back with a bogey on the par-4 4th. A few holes later, Jimmy managed to birdie the par-5 6th hole to take a 1-stroke lead, but in similar fashion to Casey, gave it right back with a bogey on the next hole. Both players bogeyed the 8th and 9th holes to make the turn tied at 2-over 38. After finding trouble on the par-3 11th, Casey found himself down 3-strokes quickly. However, Jimmy let his lead slip away with bogeys on the 15th and 17th holes with putts that just burned the edge of the cup. Casey didn't let his opportunity get away and capitalized with a birdie on the 18th hole to erase Jimmy's lead completely. Both Jimmy Kawaihalau and Casey Kimura sit tied atop the leaderboard after carding identical 4-over 76's. Staying close by to the leaders is newcomer Steven Arkley who kept himself in the round with great saves and steady play. He is only 1 stroke back from the leaders after putting up a 5-over 77 in his first round.
The Hogan flight saw a little more separation on their leaderboard. Daron Akiyama saw himself take a 1-shot lead after putting up 2 par's in the first 2 holes, His lead quickly turned into a deficit after bogeying the next 2 holes. Greg Duldulao took advantage of Daron's misstep and saw himself take a 1-shot lead after the 4th hole. The see-saw battle continued when Greg put up double bogey, bogey, bogey, in the next 3 holes. Daron then saw his 2-shot lead disappear when he found trouble on the par-4 8th hole and could only manage a triple bogey 7. The front nine finished with Greg giving back his 1-stroke lead with a bogey on the 9th hole to make the turn tied with Daron at 6-over 42. Ken Smiley quietly recovered from his rough start and made his turn only 1-stroke behind the leaders. After a par on the difficult 10th hole, Ken was tied for the lead with Daron and Greg. Unfortunately, it wasn't to be for Ken Smiley as he found trouble on both the 13th and 16th holes with triple bogeys. He finished his day in solo 2nd at 16-over 88. Greg Duldulao stayed stroke for stroke with Daron through most of the back nine but after a disastrous 9 on the difficult par-4 16th, he slid into a 3-way tie for 3rd at 17-over 89. Daron Akiyama managed to par the 15th, 16th, and 17th holes to separate himself from the rest of the field to take the first round lead with an 11-over par 83.
In the Senior Hogan flight, Lawrence Scott came out of the gates firing with a par, birdie, par, start in the first 3 holes, but cooled off on his last 3 holes of the front nine with 3 consecutive bogeys. Bernie Lam Ho started off going in the wrong direction with a bogey, par, bogey start, but quickly righted the ship and caught fire closing out his front nine with back to back birdies on the 7th and 8th holes. Bernie held on to a 2-stroke lead over Lawrence making the turn in 1-over 37. Lawrence Scott traded shots with Bernie over the next 6 holes to kept him close, but struggled down the final stretch with a double bogey, double bogey, bogey finish. He ended up 4-strokes behind the leader with an 11-over par 83, which was good enough for solo 2nd. Bernie managed to increase his lead to 4-strokes even after finishing with 3 straight bogeys and putting up a 7-over par 79.
The Sarazen flight was very closely contested for most of the day with no one really taking control until later in the round. Rey Garo looked poised to make a run with birdies on both the par-5's on the front nine, but amazingly couldn't figure out how to keep himself out of trouble on both the par-3's with a quadruple bogey and double bogey on the 3rd and 7th holes. Even still, Rey managed to hold on to a slim 1-stroke lead at the turn with a 5-over 41. There was a major log jam for 2nd at the turn with 4 players, Cory Ohman, Gene Greystone, Bruce LeGrand, and Mike Myers, all tied at 6-over 42. Mike Myers fell away from the pack after putting up 2 double bogeys and 1 triple bogey on the back nine to finish 6-back of the leader at 17-over 89. Bruce LeGrand also fell when he couldn't manage more than just 2 par's on the back nine. He finished 5 strokes back of the leader with a 16-over 88. Rey Garo felt the wheels come off on the back nine when He only managed to par 1 hole to finish 4-strokes back with a 15-over 87. Tied with Rey was Gene Greystone who also finished 4-strokes back at 87. Cory Ohman managed to outlast everyone else on the back nine finishing with 3 straight pars and taking the clubhouse lead after round 1 with an 11-over 83.
The Jones flight witnessed another barn burner over the front nine with 6 players clumped within 3 strokes of each other at the turn. Yuri Pikover came out swinging with a birdie on the very first hole of competition, but found trouble on the par-4 9th with a triple bogey that put him into a tie for 1st with Joshua Poirier at the turn with 7-over par 43's. Barbara Syler found herself in the mix as well when she made the turn in 8-over 44. Daniel Chong, Willie Brown, and Kyle Paishon all finished just 2-strokes back of the leaders at the turn with 9-over 45's. However, Yuri Pikover experienced some difficulties on the back nine with 3 triple bogeys in 5 holes to find himself 4-shots back with a first round 93. Barbara Syler struggled on the back nine with 3 double bogeys and 2 quadruple bogeys to finish 10-shots back of the leader. Willie Brown also struggled on the back nine to finish 3-strokes behind after round 1 with a 92. Daniel Chong opened up his back nine with 3 double bogeys in 4 holes, but finished strong to pull himself to within 2-strokes of the leader with a first round 91. Joshua Poirier managed to overcome difficulties on the par-3 7th hole and on the difficult back nine as well to take the clubhouse lead after round 1 with a 17-over 89.
The second round of the Kauai Open should provide some fireworks in each flight with all of the players trying to take home the crystal trophies. Round 2 action will begin at 10:30 am with our Jones flight leading the way. The weather is expected to remain sunny and warm tomorrow with mild breezes protecting the course. Good luck to all of our competitors as we look to crown the 2011 Kauai Open Champions!!!
