UH-Hilo men’s golf coach Earl Tamiya didn’t want to take the easy out Monday when discussing his team’s displeasing opening-round performance.
He very well could have, and the issues extend beyond the unpleasant conditions at the Saint Martin’s Invitational in Dupont, Wash.
The Vulcans’ third tournament of the season was supposed to be their fourth, but they had to scrap plans to play at a tournament in Livermore, Calif., earlier this month “due to COVID-19 protocols,” a school spokesperson said. UH-Hilo declined to release further details, citing privacy concerns, but the Vuls appear to have spent as much time taking COVID-19 tests as they have on the course of late.
“We didn’t practice for two weeks,” Tamiya said. “Everyone, coaches and players, had to stay away from the course and quarantine.”
The rust was evident Monday through 36 holes as the Vuls, at 45-over 621, were nine shots behind the 10th-place team, Montana State-Billings, in an 11-team Division II field. Dustin Franko rebounded from a 5-over 77 to shoot 73 and was 6-over, but his closest teammate was Andrew Otani at 12-over.
“We played bad,” Tamiya said. “It was cold, and we were bad, but it’s not an excuse.”
Every member of the Vulcans’ traveling party had to pass a COVID-19 test before departing for the mainland, and the team was tested against Sunday in Washington in order to be able to fly back to Hawaii, Tamiya said.
UH-Hilo got a rare practice in Saturday, but Tamiya said the howling winds made it “cold to the bone.”
“But no excuses,” the coach said.
And he hasn’t lost faith yet.
Even with the canceled tournament, UHH had a fairly robust spring season planned. The Vuls hoped to finish strong at Saint Martin’s, but the final 18 holes Tuesday were canceled by fog. Still, they still have two more tournaments on tap, one at Waikoloa Beach Course, before they’ll get a home-course advantage at the PacWest championships, April 19-21 at Waikoloa Kings’ Course.
“We have time,” he said, “and I still think we have a chance (at the PacWest).”
Beyond Franko, the team’s most consistent performer this season, Tamiya said he “didn’t even looks at the scores.”
Junghwan Lee opened with a 75 but was 13-over after an 82; Noah Lau put together consecutive 80s; Nicholas Gomez was another shot back at 17-over; and playing as an individual, Hilo alum Ethan Hironaga was 22-over.
No. 15 Colorado State-Pueblo held an 11-stroke lead at 3-under, and the Thunderwolves’ Andrew Ni and Jamie Roberts were tied at the top of the leaderboard at 2-under.