As much as Parker McLachlin will savor being back at Waialae Country Club with friends and family in the gallery, those Oakleys might as well be blinders when he steps into the tee box today.
“I think it’s always great to be back here. This place feels like home and I’ve spent so much time here,” McLachlin said after participating in the Hawaii Tourism Authority Pro-Junior Challenge on Tuesday.
“There is a fine balance of trying to enjoy the reception and enjoy the ambiance and the nostalgia of this place, but also at the same time my goal is to go out there and be focused on the first tee shot and play a good round of golf and hopefully do the same thing the next three days.”
McLachlin was granted a sponsor’s exemption into the Sony Open in Hawaii and will make his eighth appearance in the event, and first since 2012, when he tees off for the first round a little after 1:20 p.m.
He’s made the cut twice at Waialae, finishing in a tie for 10th in 2008. Later that year, he won the Legends Reno-Tahoe open, which remains his lone PGA Tour victory.
After playing in 20 events in 2010, he entered eight over the next three years and went without a start on tour in 2014. He played in two tournaments last year, and made his first cut in a Tour event since 2010 in the Barbasol Championship in July.
He’s kept busy in mini tours, including Pepsi Tour events in Arizona, and Monday qualifiers, “just trying to keep my game sharp for an opportunity like this.”
McLachlin returns to Hawaii for the PGA Tour’s first full-field event of 2016 with a sense of being on the upswing again.
“If I play well I can set myself up for another eight or ten events for the rest of the year,” he said. “It means a lot and playing well would mean even more.”
McLachlin finished third at the Northern California Open Championship with a three-day total of 9-under 207 in September. Last month, he was tied for the lead after two rounds in the Mauna Lani Resort Hawaii State Open and fired a 6-under 66 in the final round. But Nick Mason caught him with a 65 and won with a birdie on the fifth playoff hole.
His performances over the past year helped convince Sony Open officials to give McLachlin, the 1996 high school state champion, the opportunity to help “carry the flag” for Hawaii golf in the event.
“I think my whole game has had sort of a rebirth,” McLachlin said, “and it’s been a nice transformation from not playing well for a few years to finding some magic and finding those right feels for me and those right thoughts.
“I’ve been carrying some really good vibes with me for the last year to two years and just the entirety of my game feels really good. If I can get hot with the putter I think it’s going to be a great week.”
Mason, a Leilehua and UH-Hilo graduate, joined McLachlin in the Sony Open field by surviving another playoff in the Monday qualifier at Hoakalei Country Club. He’s also scheduled to start at 1:20 p.m. off the 10th tee. Maui pro Garrett Okamura returns for a second straight year after winning the Aloha Section PGA Professional Championship in September and tees off at 1:30. Moanalua senior Shawn Lu starts at 8:50 a.m. at the 10th tee.
As part of the local contingent in the field, McLachlin likely will have a group of family and friends following him around the course. But if he doesn’t seem all that engaged outside the ropes, don’t take it personally.
“It’s always great to have the well wishers and the good friends and family that are out, but I won’t be looking at the crowd that much,” McLachlin said. “I’ll try to just stay focused on each shot. If you’re not paying attention this golf course can get you.”
