It’s not the first disruption, but the Hawaii State Open golf tournament, annually scheduled in December as the last big tournament in the Aloha State, has been canceled for 2018 and its future location remains in doubt.
“If I had it my way, I’d love to bring it back to the Big Island,” said Wes Wailehua, executive director of the Aloha Section of the PGA, which runs the tournament. “The Big Island is a great opportunity because it’s off Oahu and encourages travel and we are all about that, but we need to find the right mix of property, ownership, sponsorship and convenience for players and spectators. We’re working on it.”
The Hawaii State Open has been held at Mauna Lani for the past six years on a contract with the PGA Aloha Section, but a change in ownership last year effectively ended the deal contractually and the course and surrounding grounds have since been in a renovation project.
Originating in the 1920s, the tournament — called the Hawaii Open — was tasked with crowning the best golfer in the state each December and it did that effectively for three decades, attracting golfers from throughout the state and the mainland.
In 1965, three former presidents of the Waialea Country Club successfully lobbied the PGA to add it as a regular stop on the PGA Tour, and it was an immediate success, with a bit of a problem. The new format prohibited anyone who wasn’t a playing member of the PGA Tour to enter the tournament, but in 1974 the original concept was rejuvenated, the name changed to the Hawaii State Open, with the goal of identifying the best Hawaii golfer.
Struggling for sponsorships and longterm commitments, the tournament struggled until 1993 when it was taken over by the Aloha Section of the PGA intending to return the event to the tradition of hosting a premier local golf tournament on the best courses throughout the islands. The Foundation took over the event in 2006.
“It’s a loss,” said Kevin Hayashi, club pro at Hilo Municipal and Makani, “very unfortunate for the golfers that they won’t get the tournament this year, but let’s hope the future is good.
“It would be great to keep it on the Big Island,” he said, “the Aloha Division was looking, we knew they were seeking a new partner and I guess they couldn’t work it out in time.”
The goal was not confined to finding a place willing to host it for a year.
“We are looking for the right partner and the right venue,” Wailehua said, “and it’s not a simple thing. Our board, our sponsors, we are all actively engaged in trying to locate the right partner for the longterm.
“I’ll be very honest,” he said, “we want a partner who will commit to a statewide approach for years to come. One of the things that separates us is that we are about the highest experience level that the PGA will always maintain.”
Over the years, some well-recognized names nationally have won the tournament, including 1987 U.S. Open Champion Scott Simpson and local favorites such as Japan PGA touring professional David Ishii and PGA Tour player Dean Wilson.
Tad Fujikawa won last year. Hayashi won the tournament in a three-peat from 1999-2001.
“It would be great to keep it on the Big Island and it would be great to keep it in December as it has always been,” Wailehua said, “but we are looking for the best possible location and the best partnership. In theory, that could be on any island, but we have a ways to go before we know the future.”