Kengo Aoshima passed up a chance to play for a high school state championship in the spring. His pursuit of one of the state’s most prestigious amateur titles continues on Thursday.
Aoshima’s freshman season at ‘Iolani ended with his winning the ILH boys championship in April. He accepted a rare opportunity to play in a professional tournament in Japan, which conflicted with the state tournament, and he’s applying his experience abroad in this week’s Manoa Cup.
"(The pros) know what to do and what not to do," Aoshima said. "During the round their mentality is just so mature compared to amateurs so it was just a wonderful experience. I learned so much that can influence my game right away."
Aoshima, 15, went up against one of the tournament’s most successful players in four-time champion Brandan Kop on Wednesday and advanced to the third round with a 2-and-1 victory at Oahu Country Club.
Aoshima was well aware of Kop’s "razor sharp short game" and a few nifty chips kept the Manoa Cup veteran in contention going into 17. But Aoshima’s two-putt par was enough to send him to the round of 16.
"I just couldn’t make any mistakes," Aoshima said. "But I was able to do what was needed and came in smoothly."
Aoshima will face Tyler Ota in one of Thursday’s eight third-round matches. His win on Wednesday guaranteed that the 106th Manoa Cup will end with a first-time champion on Saturday.
Along with Kop, 2012 winner Matthew Ma exited on Wednesday, falling 3 and 2 to David Saka, who just completed his senior season with the University of Hawaii.
Kop, a Hawaii Golf Hall of Fame inductee in 2008, was 2 up after four holes, but Aoshima took the lead with a par on the par-3 ninth hole. He stuck his tee shot on the par-3 11th to about three feet to set up a birdie to go 2 up.
Kop’s chip on No. 13 settled an inch from the hole to cut Aoshima’s lead back to one. But Aoshima didn’t give Kop many openings for a comeback by playing bogey-free on the back nine.
"I played all right, but I didn’t sink enough birdies," Kop said. "You have to make birdies when the other guy is playing well."
Kop last won the Manoa Cup in 1998 and said he’ll continue to enter the tournament "as long as I can walk the 13th hole," referring to OCC’s steepest hike.
"It’s getting hard though," he added with a laugh.
While the tournament field continues to trend toward youth, 56-year-old Doug Williams remained in the bracket with a 4 and 3 win over Kyle Suppa, the reigning state stroke play champion and a junior at Punahou.
Both women who advanced to the second round lost tight matches on Wednesday. Alice Kim was 2 down against Tyler Isono after the 16th hole, but won the next two to extend the match. Isono eventually outlasted Kim on the 20th hole to survive.
Cassy Isagawa was locked in a see-saw duel with UH junior Scotty Yamashita, with the duo matching scores on just three holes. Yamashita’s chip to about three feet on No. 17 set up a birdie that gave him the lead. He then made a tricky putt to match Isagawa’s par on No. 18 to cap a 1-up victory.
"It was a great experience … it was probably one of the best matches I’ve played," Isagawa said.
UH sophomore Zachary Braunthal went 19 holes to edge Chris Shimomura and recent Punahou graduate PJ Samiere made a 25-foot par putt on the 18th hole to secure a 1-up win over Matthew Shen.
