THE Hawaiian Open without David Ishii? Ishii deserves to play
in last Hawaiian OpenGet out of here.
Yet, it's not a given that Ishii will get to play in the last-ever United Airlines Hawaiian Open next February at the Waialae Country Club.
Ishii found himself sort of on the outside looking in after a policy change by the Aloha Section PGA.
For the last three years, Ishii has won the AT&T Stroke Play Championship to get one of the local section's exemptions to the Hawaiian Open. The winner doesn't get it automatically anymore.
Instead, the section's exemption will go to its player of the year, based on a point system from six tournaments during the year. Since Ishii plays full-time on the Japan PGA Tour, he can't be in the running as the player of the year.
It's not a "David Ishii Rule," according to Paul Sugimoto, executive secretary of the Aloha Section PGA. The PGA Tour also has ruled that any player who competes in more than 12 events on any tour can't be eligible for a sectional exemption.
If Ishii, who's home from Japan for a month, was disappointed, he didn't show it.
"Whatever they decide is best for their members is fine with me," said Ishii, who is a member of good standing with the Aloha Section. "It's good that other members get a chance."
Certainly, the Stroke Play Championship, starting Monday at Mauna Kea Beach, has been a private domain for Ishii. The event has always been scheduled at a convenient time for him. He always returns to celebrate his birthday at home with the family and Japan is no place to be during humid August. That, and a crack at an exemption.
Alas, no more.
WINNER of the 1990 Hawaiian Open, Ishii now has to qualify for the Open if he doesn't get a sponsor's exemption from United. Not that UAL wouldn't grant him one.
"I've got to believe people would want to see him play but getting a sponsor's exemption isn't automatic," said tournament director Chester Kahapea. "It's not a presumption we can make at this point. But as a past champion, we've got to give him some consideration."
"I know it's the last Hawaiian Open, so I really want to play in it," Ishii said. "I've got to write Chester for an exemption, if worse comes to worse."
Outside of an exemption, Ishii has two chances to play in it. The first comes in early January at the Aloha Section qualifying for two spots and the other is the Monday qualifying for four spots the week of the tournament.
As sponsor, United has only four unrestricted exemptions and they will be held in abeyance until after the sectional qualifying, Kahapea said.
Interestingly, one exemption will go to the top amateur on the Governor's Cup team, which United restored after reluctantly withdrawing it last year. The other exemption goes to one of the top five JPGA Tour money winners who accepts. That leaves only two to play with and it really makes it tough, says Kahapea.
Not really. The Hawaiian Open, especially the final one, without David Ishii just doesn't cut it.
ISHII will be among 60 players who learned their golf from Kauai pro Toyo Shirai in a benefit tournament today at Wailua. Others include Art Fujita, Dan Nishimoto, Jonathan Ota and Guy Yamamoto.
They're raising money to send Shirai, 81, and his wife, Yoshie, to next year's U.S. Open at the Olympic Club in San Francisco.
"We all appreciate what Mr. Shirai has done for us," said Ishii, who got his first lesson from Shirai at the age of 5.
"I was lucky. How many get a chance to play with a pro regularly like I did," said Ishii, who grew up playing Wailua with Shirai, who built the course.