CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM Defending champion Ryan Perez dropped his club after teeing of on No. 9 yesterday at the Manoa Cup. Perez lost 5 and 4 to Reyn Tanaka in yesterday's third round.

Tanaka drops champ

The defending champion was ousted yesterday and the 1990 champion bowed out, too. But the youngest winner in the oldest continuous Hawaii golf tournament's history was still alive after yesterday's third-round match-play action at the Manoa Cup.

Travis Toyama, who became the Manoa Cup's youngest champ when he was thrown into the Oahu Country Club pool at age 15 in 2002, advanced with a 1-up win over Christian Akau.

But Toyama was the only former Manoa Cup champ left unscathed after the round of 16 in the 97th playing of the nation's fourth-longest-running golf tournament.

Last year's winner, Ryan Perez, another young gun at 19, bowed out when Reyn Tanaka beat him 5 and 4. Perez became the second champion Tanaka has taken out this tournament. Tanaka beat four-time Manoa Cup winner Brandan Kop in Tuesday's second round.

CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM Reyn Tanaka watched his drive on No. 9 yesterday. Tanaka advanced to play Bradley Shigezawa in today's quarterfinals.

Toyama, a 12 seed, advanced to face Kellan Anderson in this morning's quarterfinals.

Anderson had knocked off No. 4 Erick Ellgren 1-up.

Other quarterfinal pairings include Nino and second-seeded T.J. Kua, who moved on with a 1-up win over Sean Doi.

Jacob Low is in the final eight with a 6 and 5 win over Shannon Sibayan. He faces Doug Williams, who beat Kawika Shoji 6 and 5.

After erasing two former champions, Tanaka gets another big name -- Bradley Shigezawa, who this year set the record as the youngest to qualify for Manoa Cup match play (edging Michelle Wie at 11 years, 5 months). Shigezawa advanced by beating Tom Goodbody 5 and 4.

The Shigezawa-Tanaka match starts today's quarterfinal action.

Today's winners advance to tomorrow's semifinal round, which is set to go 36 holes.