Andrew Paisley knows how to stay near the top of the leaderboard, making a run at the Big Island Interscholastic Federation golf championship the past three years. Andrew Paisley knows how to stay near the top of the leaderboard, making
Andrew Paisley knows how to stay near the top of the leaderboard, making a run at the Big Island Interscholastic Federation golf championship the past three years.
The first-time participant at the Hilo sectional of the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship is also quite familiar with the feeling of watching a good day’s work get flattened by one off-balanced hole.
Paisley completed his junior season at Hawaii Prep with his third straight BIIF runner-up finish, losing to Konawaena’s Ryley Chong by one stroke.
On the par-4 second hole in April at the Mauna Kea Golf Course, Paisley’s drive bounced into a bad place, behind a rock, where it took three shots for his ball to find the green, eventually leading to triple-bogey.
More than a month later, his game is in gear, ready for the generous fairways, soft landing spots and sparsity of sand traps at the par-71 Hilo Municipal Golf Course, which plays at a relatively short 6,325 yards.
“I’m hitting it all right,” Paisley said. “I just have to play like how I have been in my past couple of tournaments. I have to play my game. I was at the Junior World qualifiers last week on Maui and tied for eighth. They took the top five kids.
“It’s my first time at the publinx. It’s on the Big Island, and you don’t have to fly anywhere. It’s a good opportunity and a big thing with the Masters. Right now, my strength is driving. I’m hitting it pretty good. I’ve been trying to hit it long. I hit a draw and play that most of the time.”
Paisley estimated he has played Hilo Muni 10 to 15 times, with his best score a 76. Last year, the two qualifiers — Sean Maekawa and Landon Johnson — each shot a two-round 1-over 142. Neither will be back. Maekawa turned pro, and Johnson, who was home-schooled and golfed for Waiakea, now lives in California.
Playing 36 holes in one day is another first for Paisley, who picked up the game as a 6-year-old but got serious five years later.
“It’s a really strong field and the competition will be good. That’s good and should help me for the next BIIF season,” he said. “I started playing with my uncles and dad (Pete Paisley), just messing around and I kind of got into it. I was pretty good and I kept playing.”
Chong will be back next year as a senior to defend his BIIF title. He’s playing in the publinx for the second time.
“I’m comfortable enough at Hilo Muni,” he said. “Saturday is going to be a long day. You can’t let one hole ruin your round. Right now, my short game is not bad. I’m hoping putts fall. You have to keep a good mind. Anything can happen.”
With that said, maybe Paisley and Chong will be in the hunt at the publinx, and the good news is there are two winners. The Hilo sectional, like last year, was awarded two berths to nationals.
“That would be cool if we were paired together. That would be fun,” Paisley said. “He’s good to play with.”
A women’s qualifier will be held today on Oahu. Recent Waiakea graduate Nani Yanagi and Waiakea senior-to-be Ciera Min finished seven and 11 shots, respectively, behind Honolulu’s Allisen Corpuz, who had a 3-under 67 last week at the Maui qualifier. (Hilo doesn’t have a women’s qualifier.)
One thing Paisley and Chong have in common is their shared goal of playing in college. However, neither has picked out a school yet.
It’s pretty tough to land a golf scholarship. Division I schools are limited to 4.5 golf scholarships, and it’s 3.6 for Division II schools. By comparison, men’s volleyball offers 4.5 scholarships for both divisions.
“I think that part is kind of hard with that limited amount,” Paisley said. “But if you are good, it’s easy for people to find you. You have to play in a lot of tournaments, and you’ll get noticed.”
That type of positive thinking keeps him in the hunt for anything. And basically, that’s his game plan going into his first publinx.
“I’m relaxed and trying to make it fun,” he said.
Junior Worlds
Min and Yanagi each carded a 15-over 155 on May 27 to tie for second and secure spots in the girls 15-18 division during a qualifier at Kaanapali Golf Course on Maui.
Five other Big Island golfers also earned berths at Junior Worlds, which take place July 10-13 in San Diego: Hilo’s Kiersten Saludares (second, girls 7-8); Hilo’s Dysen Park (fourth, boys 7-8); Hilo’s Mika Dudulao (fifth, girls 9-10); Hilo Lacey Uchida (sixth, girls 9-10); and Waimea’s Titan Oshura (third, boys 9-10).
