Isaac Jaffurs is a handful of years removed from the rigors of collegiate play. But the former University of Hawaii at Hilo golfer had to be dealing with a different kind of pressure Tuesday when he was matched up against an 11-year-old at the Manoa Cup.
Whatever the case, Jaffurs handled it and advanced to the round of 32 on what was a productive day former Vulcans at Oahu Country Golf Club at the state amateur match play championship.
In Monday’s stroke play, Go Nakatsukasa became the second-youngest qualifier in the 107th edition of the event, but Jaffurs put the 45th-seeded Nakatsukasa away 5 and 4 to open match play. Jaffurs, the 2014 Manoa Cup runner-up, pulled away on his native Oahu by winning four holes in a row and went 5-up after a second consecutive birdie on No. 10. Nakatsukasa’s birdie on No. 12 cut into the lead, but he made double-bogey on No. 14, and Jaffurs’ third birdie ended the match.
Tuesday morning, Jaffurs will take on Waiakea junior Shon Katahira, a 5-and-4 winner against Benjamin Sandborn.
Katahira’s game was consistency. He made par on six of his first seven holes to go along with a birdie on No. 5 and led by five strokes. Katahira didn’t card a bogey in 14 holes of play.
Former Vulcans Dalen Yamauchi, Nick Matsushima and Chris Shimomura also advanced.
Yamauchi, an all-PacWest golfer who just completed his eligibility at UH-Hilo, routed Paul Loui 7 and 6, and the Waiakea graduate will face Brandan Kop on Tuesday.
Matsushima made his best run at the Manoa Cup in 2012 when he reached the final. He downed Glenn Niitani 5 and 3 and draws Andrew Chin.
Shimomura, who’s playing career at UH-Hilo ended in 2014, beat Ryan Field 3 and 2 and takes on Kyle Suppa.
Despite a birdie on 17 that got him back in the match, Kamehameha-Hawaii’s Preston Lee-Ching fell 1-up to Jarin Harada.
