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Wednesday, June 7, 2000
Kop’s hole-in-one
By Bill Kwon
highlights day of upsets
in Manoa Cup
Star-Bulletin
Brandan Kop scored a hole-in-one en route to a 3 and 2 victory over Joe Phengsavath, while defending champion Shane Hoshino was upset in his second-round match in the Manoa Cup yesterday at the Oahu Country Club."I needed it, too," said Kop, who used a 3-wood to ace the 228-yard ninth hole.
It was his second hole-in-one in as many years in Manoa Cup competition. Kop aced the par-3 fourth hole in last year's semifinal victory before bowing to Hoshino, 4 and 3, in the 36-hole final.
Kop had defeated Jason Napoleon of Kauai, 5 and 4, in the morning round before closing out Phengsavath on the par-3 16th hole in the afternoon.
Hoshino had advanced by beating Wendell Tom, 6 and 5. But he ran into hot-shooting Ron Haranda, who reeled off five straight birdies in pulling off a 3 and 2 upset.The day's highlight was 66-year-old Art Fujita, who won the Manoa Cup 36 years ago, advancing with a pair of victories -- 7 and 6 over Walter Iverson and 2 and 1 over young Pomaikai Shishido.
"I'm having a great time, but I just brought three shirts," said Fujita, a Kauai native playing in his first Manoa Cup in at least 30 years because of the tournament's change in date.
"It used to conflict with the Public Links," said Fujita, a local USGA representative.
Kop, a four-time Manoa Cup champion, will meet Gary Kong in today's third-round match. Kong recorded yesterday's most lopsided victory, 9 and 7, over Ross Nakamura before ousting 1990 champion Dick Sieradzki in the second round, 5 and 4.
The lower bracket was "upset city" as two-time winner Guy Yamamoto and Monday's qualifying co-medalists Ryan Koshi and Blaine Kimura all lost yesterday.
Yamamoto and Koshi dropped their first-round matches, while Kimura was bumped in the second round by Fred Hanamoto, 6 and 5, after advancing with a 5 and 4 victory over Darin Kurasaki.
