Golf Success A Family Affair For Aiea’s Bryson Watabu

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Bryson Watabu practices after school at Pearl Country Club. Photo by Byron Lee, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

In his peripheral vision,Aiea High School’s Bryson Watabu could make out the growing throng of curiosity-seekers as he lined up what he hoped would be his last putt of that day - a mere 4-footer to lock up the OIA individual golf title.

Watabu’s sense of humor has always helped him on the links, but he admits the most important putt of his life was no laughing matter. “There was a crowd surrounding the green, and it was pretty close,” said Watabu on a weekday afternoon at Pearl Country Club.“I was pretty nervous about it.I didn’t want to miss that putt. It would have been embarrassing. At times like that, there’s pressure.”

Watabu delivered the putt to seal the deal.While not necessarily a surprise to his peers, his outing at the OIA championships was, nevertheless,“my best round, hands down,” he said. Indeed, Watabu, who hadn’t scored in the 70s in a prep event all of his sophomore year, averaged 77 this year while competing for Na Ali’i. He had finished fifth in the OIA West championships on April 8.

In the OIA championships April 29 at Leilehua Golf Course, he also displayed his poise. Trailing Kaiser’s Nick Lim heading into the back nine, he promptly recorded birdies on holes 10 and 11 to move within striking distance. He followed by shooting par for five straight holes. Still not enough to get him over the hump, Watabu had to par the 18th hole to have a shot at catching Lim - which he did - when the latter took a bogey for the hole. Then it was on to a sudden-death playoff, where the issue was eventually decided.

“I felt amazed,“admitted Watabu, who finished with a 5-over-147.“I knew I had the potential to stay consistent through a round, but I didn’t expect myself to do it (then).”

For his part, Watabu has never lacked for positive role models, a fact that he attributes to his own development.“Everybody golfs in my family,” he said.

Watabu’s parents, Vance and Lisa, both golf, as does older sister Kristen. Cousins Casey and Kellen Watabu also are hitting their stride on the links. Casey won the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championships in July 2006, which earned him an appearance at The Masters that year. He is currently playing professionally. Like Casey before him, younger brother Kellen is currently competing for the University of Nevada on a golf scholarship. He had captured an individual Hawaii High School State Championship in 2006 while at Kauai High and led the Raiders to team titles in 2004 and 2005.

“Their success motivates me to improve my game and work on things to get better at so I can get to their level maybe someday,” Bryson said.

In the moments that followed his round at the OIA championships, Watabu’s first order of business was to seek out freshman teammate Ryan Kuroiwa. The pair, who are good friends, have been neck and neck for much of the season - on the course and in matching each other joke for joke.

“He motivated me to get better because I didn’t want a freshman taking my spot,” Watabu mused.“He’s really consistent,” he added of Kuroiwa. “On the course, he never gets angry - that’s his strong suit. I’ve seen a lot of other players in high school do bad on one hole after another. Ryan just picks himself up.”

Like Watabu, Kuroiwa shares an ability to find humor in most situations.

“It calms us down and makes us not too serious so we can have fun. Bryson’s fun to be with and to talk story with.” This week, Watabu is on Kauai for the David S. Ishii Foundation HHSAA Boys’ State Golf Championships, which will take place Tuesday and Wednesday at the Wailua Golf Course. A strong showing would be the ideal end to the prep golf season for Watabu, who is only a junior with an entire season of eligibility remaining. Last week, he prepared for the state by visiting a handful of area golf courses along with Ryan and Aiea head coach Buzz Vaspar. Watabu was to travel to Kauai over the weekend to stay with his uncle before joining up with Kuroiwa and their coaches on Monday. He expected to play the Wailua course every day leading up to the state championships.

But while Watabu has been hitting his stride lately, there was no direct line to his success. He took up golf at the age of 8,only to shelve the sport after a couple of years. During his break from golf, he played soccer and baseball.

“I really had to work at it,” he said. “I quit for four or five years. I thought it was too challenging. I wanted to try other sports to see if they were easier.When I got into seventh grade, I started taking lessons from my dad’s friend, Juan Rodriguez, and my game improved tremendously.”

In the days that follow the state championships, Watabu and Kuroiwa will prepare for their appearance in the upcoming 57th Francis Hyde I’i Brown Four-Ball Match Play Championship, which will run May 17-25 at Ala Wai Municipal Golf Course.

A month away from golf will follow for Watabu, who likes to go fishing with his dad and hang out with friends during his free time.