Kevin Hayashi has a few new additions to his golf bag these days, and they’re as ubiquitous as they are low tech: mustard packets.
Yes, there is a story here, and a successful one at that.
The reigning Aloha Section PGA player and senior player of the year limped to the finish line Tuesday at Hawaii’s U.S. Senior Open qualifier at Hoakalei Country Club on Oahu, taking a double-bogey on 14 and a bogey on 15. Cramps became an issue for Hilo’s Hayashi, but thanks to five birdies through 13 holes he was able to salvage an even-par 72 to qualify for a three-way playoff.
“I was playing really well, and I don’t like to make excuses, but I’ve never experienced that type of cramping,” he said. “It was on my back and both sides of my legs.”
Before he began a sudden-death playoff with David Ishii and Kristopher Kitt, Ishii helped offer Hayashi a bit of sage advice.
“They told me to take mustard,” he said. “I took two mustard packets, and in 10 minutes my body was fine.
“It’s amazing, now I have three packets of mustard in my bag.”
That’s all the lift Hayashi needed to a secure a berth in his fifth senior major championship.
Kristopher Kitt bogeyed the first hole to fall out of the playoff, and Hayashi and Ishii each birdied the next hole, a par 5, before Hayashi became the medalist in the 29-player field when Ishii bogeyed the next hole.
“It was tough,” Hayashi said, “I really look up to David. Kind of bittersweet, because David actually helped me beat him.”
Still, the soon-to-be 57-year-old is intent on making this major count.
The 40th U.S. Senior Open is June 27-30 in South Bend, Ind., and will be Hayashi’s third try at the senior national championship. He’s also played in two Senior PGA Championships. In 2016, he played in both tournaments, and his second Senior PGA entry was last year.
“You never know when your last time playing in a major will be,” he said. “I’m going to put a little bit more effort into this one, because I can’t take it for granted.”
In Indiana, Hayashi said he’s looking forward to catching up with an old friend, Hilo’s Greg Meyer, who shot a 75 on Saturday after making the cut at the Senior PGA in Rochester, N.Y.
Meyer, who is 8-over heading to the final round, earned an exemption to the Senior Open after finishing third on the Japan Senior Tour money list last year.
Hayashi said both of them will have to prepare for a what is sure to be a stretched layout at Warren Golf Course at Notre Dame, courtesy of the United States Golf Association.
“They make the rough really long,” Hayashi said, “it puts a premium on your tee shots. Right now, my swing is pretty even where (my ball) doesn’t really curve. I’m kind of excited.”
Hayashi’s busy schedule – he’s the club pro at Hilo Municipal and Makana as well as an instructor to many junior players – hasn’t allowed him to get in much practice time, but that should change now that school is out and his students will be able to adjust their schedules.
That’s the thing about being the most well-known swing coach on the island. Hayashi doesn’t have a swing coach himself.
“So for me, what I do is I look in the mirror,” be said, “that’s why it’s really important for me to do form drills and stuff like that.”
Anything to be able to add a little mustard to that swing.