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A glance at last Monday’s field for the Hawaii U.S. Senior Amateur qualifier is all it takes to realize the remarkable depth that exists in golf at the 50-and-older level here now.
That’s not even taking into account the professionals. Hawaii Golf Hall of Famer Kevin Hayashi was the Aloha Section PGA’s player of the year and senior player of the year in 2016. David Ishii and Gregory Meyer — also in the Hall — play on Japan’s senior tour.
“I believe there are more competitive senior golfers now,” says Guy Yamamoto, another Hall of Famer. “I wouldn’t say it’s better talent because Wendell Kop is still playing in the OCC Invitational senior flight and shooting better than his age — 28 years since his senior amateur debut.
“That’s talent, but the talent is deeper. Senior golfers are caring for themselves better physically. That could be a reason there are more competitive golfers.”
So could the equipment and enhanced opportunities. Together, the talent level has never been greater, and in the amateur ranks no one seems to have much in common except golf.
Lahaina’s Clive Kegel won Monday’s qualifier in a playoff over David Kawahara and will be in the national championship later this month in Oregon.
A quirk of fate and eye for detail has allowed Yamamoto to join him. Yamamoto noticed last year that there was an exemption into the U.S. Senior Amateur for players who won the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship.
He happened to see a USGA friend and asked why the winner of U.S. Amateur Public Links, which he won in 1994, did not get an exemption. That has now changed and in May, Yamamoto received his exemption. The “guy” who has been working in operations at several Oahu golf courses — Yamamoto is currently general manager of Royal Hawaiian Golf Club — has been working on his game since.
Few other amateurs are working anywhere near the game, which makes the quality of their golf even more surprising.
Carl Ho, the Hawaii State Golf Association’s senior player of the year the past four years, is an anesthesiologist.
Mike Kawate, who won the senior flight at last month’s Oahu Country Club Invitational, studies pesticides in the University of Hawaii Agriculture Department. He finished 13th overall at OCC, playing from the same tees as the open division. Ho was a shot back.
Phil Anamizu and Shigeru Matsui, both 69, played in Monday’s qualifier. Anamizu, the HSGA senior player of the year four times from 2009-2013, finished a shot out of the playoff.
Matsui, HSGA senior player of the year in 2012, tied for ninth with Kawate. Hall of Famer Brandan Kop, a golf apparel and equipment distributor, shared fifth with Paul Kimura, who owns City Fender.
Kegel has his own kitchen and bathroom remodeling company in Napili, and a fascinating story that always returns to golf. He figures it saved his life.
Born in Zambia, South Africa, he played junior golf with Nick Price. Kegel moved to Los Angeles after serving his military time and came to Hawaii in 1985. He got married and had two children, and a serious drug problem.
“I ended up homeless on Front Street for about four years,” Kegel said. “I did some time at Maui Correctional and when I came out I had a probation officer who … I don’t know what she saw in me but she wouldn’t put me back in jail because that was the easy way out.”
Kegel, now 60, went through a series of rehabilitation programs and was encouraged to start golfing again. Friends at Kapalua helped him and he started playing with Aloha Section pros.
“It’s such a good bunch of guys, so friendly,” Kegel said. “It’s really like a brotherhood even though they are competing against each other.”
His goal became to qualify for the U.S. Senior Amateur and he accomplished that in 2014.
“What the USGA does for you is unbelievable, but the stage was difficult for me,” Kegel said. “I was nervous and struggled and I said I’m coming back. I just worked on it and worked on it. I missed it three or four times and this time the ball bounced my way.”
He tries to follow the “one day at a time” and “one hole at a time” mantras in his life, and work hard enough to afford his next tournament. This weekend, he can finally sleep in his own bed because it is the Maui Open.
“Golf is the only thing I’ve done consistently in my life,” Kegel says. “I quit golf twice, came to America, quit for another 10 or 15 years. In 2000, when I got clean, I was playing with Dean Prince and Lance Suzuki and they were just solid, always there at the top of tournaments.
“Then came the Kevin Hayashis and all those guys. They are all just super guys. I’ve been lucky with Hawaiian golf, they do such a great job. We’re blessed to be able to compete like that.”
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