Kua, McCauley take four-ball event

TJ Kua and Shawn McCauley defended their OCC/Nike Golf Four-Ball Championship Wednesday in a match made in ohana heaven.

They defeated Hawaii Golf Hall of Famer David Ishii — Kua’s uncle — and Jerry Mullen, 2 and 1. The golfers were so familiar and friendly they laughed on almost every hole, talked while others were hitting and showed absolutely no sign of stress with $3,000 on the line.

"This match," McCauley said, "was just fun."

Spectators included Aloha Section PGA/Tournament Director Wes Wailehua, who was Kua’s high school coach at Kamehameha, and Nike sponsor Jay Hinazumi, one of Ishii’s best friends.

Oahu Country Club played the part of lush Kauai backyard for the Ishii family golf reunion.

"David is already a legend," McCauley said. "TJ will be a legend."

Kua, who finished his University of Hawaii career in 2012, played the lead. He birdied four straight to build a 3-up advantage after five holes.

His uncle, who turns 58 today, spent the entire back nine trying to steal the show.

"I don’t get to play with Uncle very much, so when I do it’s very inspiring, watching him do things that nobody else can really do with a golf ball," Kua said. "It’s fun to watch."

Kua and McCauley are now 3-for-3 in team events. It started with last year’s victory over seven-time Nike champions Andrew Feldmann and Larry Stubblefield, in Kua’s pro debut.

They got to this final with another win over Feldmann/Stubblefield Tuesday and a 1-up victory over Kyle Kunioka and Ryan Acosta Wednesday morning.

Kua eagled the 17th to tie that match and McCauley won it with par on the 18th.

Ishii and Mullen also won their semifinal 1-up, taking their first lead against Hoakalei’s Kellan Anderson and Jason Jakovac with par at No. 9.

They went 2-up when Mullen birdied the 14th, but Jakovac erased that with birdie at the 16th. Pars on the final two holes were good enough for Ishii and Mullen to hold on.

They never got that opportunity in the afternoon. Kua two-putted for birdie on the second, which Ishii matched. But the nephew hit it to two feet on the next hole, four on the fourth and gimme range on the fifth.

No one matched that, but McCauley-Kua would hit a lull.

Mullen’s birdie won the next hole. Kua got it back with the only par at No. 7. McCauley covered Ishii’s one-putt par at No. 8 — after Kua gave his uncle a four-footer.

"Good to play with your nephew," Ishii said, coming off the green. "You get treated well."

Ishii covered McCauley’s birdie at the 10th and converted a four-footer to win the 12th.

McCauley and Kua each missed short putts to win the next holes. Then Ishii, the 1990 Hawaiian Open champion who heads back to Japan’s senior tour next week, eagled the 15th to cut the deficit to one.

That lasted about as long as it took Kua’s 30-foot birdie putt to settle into the bottom of the cup on the next hole. Ishii could not cover that from half the distance.

On the 17th, Mullen’s eagle chip lipped out for a gimme birdie. Kua’s pitch rolled over the edge and eight feet by, but he converted the birdie putt to halve the hole and win the match, the ball rolling all the way around and in.

"The afternoon round was really all TJ," McCauley said. "He played great, didn’t make any mistakes."

Kua, who won the Mid-Pacific Open this year, is heading to the Maui Open next weekend.

Ishii won Four-Ball four times with David Chin, the last 15 years ago. Clearly Ishii’s game remains legend-like — even as he watches the next generation up close and personal.

"TJ hits the ball long," Ishii said. "I was surprised how long. And he putts good and chips good. He was like 7 under by himself."

Then Uncle David grinned. This one was just for fun.