Do you believe in pyramid power?

Matt Hall does.

I asked the PGA Aloha Section president if there's a reason why so many local guys made it into this year's Sony Open field.

(And the best part of it is they all earned their way in this time. All got in via their PGA status or qualifying, not a sponsor's exemption among them.)

Hall says it's a positive symptom of something that's been building here a long time. Hawaii has always been home to great natural golf talent, as well as natural conditions conducive to producing champions—year-round playing weather and plenty of excellent courses.

The difference now is nurturing, and the young ones have seen firsthand and can touch the success of those before them.

“;I think it's real and tangible that there are role models for the kids,”; says Hall. “;It's one big pyramid. You can look at guys like (PGA tour pros) Dean (Wilson) and Parker (McLachlin), they're kind of at the top now, and they had David Ishii to look up to. He went out there and won it.”;

Ishii's 1990 Hawaiian Open victory and success in Japan set a path for Wilson. Wilson and McLachlin both combined talent with the long-term mental toughness to grind it out over the course of years to earn their stripes. The same thing Ishii did before them.

Now, youngsters like Lorens Chan and Tadd Fujikawa see the path. They have solid reason to believe the summit is reachable.

The proven, visible success of the one-step-at-a-time formula has to be heartening for a veteran like John Lynch, too; he's a 10-year local pro who made the field by being the Aloha Section Player of the Year.

Hall, the head pro at Turtle Bay, hosted the qualifier there Monday. Fujikawa's successful battle for a berth signified another level to the pyramid.

Later that evening, Hall had an organizational meeting with Oahu Interscholastic Association golf coaches.

“;When you get your teams together remind them that Tadd is from a public school on Oahu,”; he told them. “;That's the motivator.”;

Like McLachlin and Wilson and Ishii before him.

If you were to tell David Ishii he is the capstone of some pyramid of local golf, the trunk of the family tree, he would blush and defer to others before him, like Ted Makalena. And he'd be correct to some degree.

But there's no denying Ishii's continuing influence on today's young golfers—he's not an unapproachable icon, he's that friendly, super-competent uncle who's always willing to help. He's the guy who has done it and wants to help you get there without reminding you every 5 minutes how great he is or was. He's quietly put more time and money toward this than anyone can track or count.

This week, the man who sponsors the state high school tournaments every year is among the pros giving free mini lessons at Waialae to anyone who wants them.

“;He's a past champion, he doesn't have to do that,”; Hall says. “;But David was the first guy to sign up.”;

No surprise, it's just Ishii being Ishii, still giving to the game and Hawaii's young players at 53.

Pyramids take time and effort to build, but they stand forever.