Kaneohe’s Dean Wilson was inducted into the Las Vegas Golf Hall of Fame in October, when the PGA Tour played its Shriners Hospitals For Children Open.
The Castle graduate, who turned 47 Saturday, lived in Las Vegas for 12 years while playing on the tour. He joins a Hall that includes players such as Jim Colbert, Ryan Moore and Robert Gamez, philanthropists, coaches, developers, superintendents and others involved in Las Vegas golf. The first class was named in 1991.
Wilson went to Brigham Young-Hawaii and, when the golf program was dropped, transferred to BYU where he played with major champion Mike Weir.
Wilson turned pro in 1991 and won six times on the Japan tour before earning his way onto the PGA Tour. As a rookie, he was Annika Sorenstam’s playing partner at the 2003 Colonial, when she was the first woman in 58 years to play in a tour event.
Wilson, who now lives in San Diego, made 262 starts on the tour through 2013. He collected nearly $9 million with 21 Top 10s.
State golfers head worldwide
After the adventure that was last weekend’s Mauna Lani Resort Hawaii State Open, golfers will be scattering around the world.
David Fink, who ended up second to TJ Kua when Sunday’s final round was rained out, is headed to try the Asia tour, along with Cory Oride, who finished third, SJ Maeng (11th) and Lorens Chan (19th).
Alex Ching (seventh), who played on PGA Tour China, is now a financial advisor in San Diego.
About 40 golfers showed up for Sunday’s trophy presentation, two hours after the final round was called off because of “unplayable and unsafe conditions.” Several players also suffered from stomach problems over the weekend.
The weather was not a huge surprise. Players were warned about the possibility of persistent rain and thunderstorms before the tournament started and Friday’s first round was delayed. Saturday’s conditions were ideal, much like last year’s entire tournament, but Sunday’s rain didn’t let up all day.
“For me, it was pretty emotional,” said Aloha Section PGA executive director Wes Wailehua, who runs the tournament. “In the 20 years I’ve put on tournaments, this is the first time we’ve actually canceled a final round. It’s pretty tough. As a tournament operator you want to do everything possible to present the best conditions and make it playable for the golfers.”
All three members of Wailehua’s staff came home sick and he figures he slept “about three hours” over the weekend. Mauna Lani’s staff didn’t get much more.
“The course staff, superintendents and the resort are committed to supporting golf and supporting the event,” Wailehua said. “Guys were out there at 4 in the morning mowing greens (Sunday) and trying to get things prepped for the tournament.”
Japan’s Matsuyama may play Sony
Nine former champions and Hideki Matsuyama, the world’s sixth-ranked golfer, are among the early provisional commitments for next month’s Sony Open in Hawaii.
The PGA Tour’s first full-field event of the year is Jan. 12-15 at Waialae Country Club. Fabian Gomez will defend his championship.
Other previous Sony champs expected to play are KJ Choi, Zach Johnson, Jimmy Walker, Jerry Kelly, Russell Henley, Ryan Palmer, Johnson Wagner and Vijay Singh.
Hilo’s Kevin Hayashi won the Aloha Section PGA Stroke Play Championship and the Sony slot that came with it. Hayashi, Singh, Davis Love III and Fred Funk are expected to play and all are over 50.
Manoa Cup winner Brent Grant earned Hawaii’s amateur exemption. He is contemplating turning pro after Sony. Punahou alum Parker McLachlin has also received an exemption.
Others who have registered early include Paul Casey, who is 14th in the World Golf Ranking, Charl Schwartzel (23rd) and Brandt Snedeker (28th).
