Life on tour can be a fickle existence.

Another inch here or a kind bounce there is so often the difference between steady and spectacular.

Dean Wilson took 69 swings to navigate the Waialae Country Club yesterday. Yet a second straight round in red numbers still left him with a few what-if moments.

“;I couldn't seem to get the putts in,”; Wilson said after signing for a 1 under par in his first weekend appearance in the Sony Open in Hawaii since 2005. “;I played OK, had some good opportunities, couldn't get it close enough, always from 15 or 18 feet, which is tough to make out here.

“;If I could have gotten some of those in, birdied 18 and 9 (both par 5s), it would have been a lot better.”;

When Wilson steps to the first tee this morning, the Castle High graduate will be the last of the Hawaii golfers representing the host state in the first full-field event of the PGA season.

He enters the final round at 3-under 207 and tied for 33rd after seeing several birdie chances burn the edge of the cup on the back nine, and is looking forward to playing on Sunday at the Sony Open for the third time.

“;It's always like that for everybody,”; Wilson said. “;You come out here and shoot a 3 or 4 under and you can always say a few more could have gone in, that's the nature of golf. All our putts, if they're not going in they're pretty close. I think everybody when they get done can always count four or five shots that could have gone.”;

Wilson carded three birdies against two bogeys, the signature moment of his round coming when a 32-foot putt snaked in for birdie on the par-3 17th.

The putt drew a roar from the grandstands ringing the green and Wilson obliged the crowd with a wave before tossing his ball to a fan in the first row.

“;It was exciting to have a lot of people in the background and everybody yelling for me,”; Wilson said. “;I don't care where I make my birdies, but it's nice to make it in front of the people of Hawaii.”;

Wilson had another shot for birdie on No. 18, but his 7-foot putt bent to the right just before the hole, those precious inches separating him from a 10-spot jump in the standings.

Of the six Hawaii golfers who began the tournament on Thursday, only Wilson survived to the final round.

Hilo pro Kevin Hayashi's first weekend appearance in eight tries in the Sony Open ended yesterday. With 80 players making it to the third round, the field was cut again to the top 70 plus ties. Hayashi's struggles in a 5-over 75 meant an early return to Hilo, but he still relished his experience.

“;It meant a lot. It was exciting out there,”; Hayashi said. “;I wish I could have played better, but that's the nature of golf.

“;When I bogeyed 12, I still had a shot (to make the cut), but I knew I didn't have my best game. It was a grind from there. I played hard, but I just tried to enjoy the moment.”;