Kapa'a's Casey Watabu finds himself in a rare place.

He will be the only golfer at the State Amateur Stroke Play Championship using the event as his final competitive preparation for next month's Masters. Watabu qualified for Augusta in July by becoming the fifth player from Hawai'i to win the U.S. Amateur Public Links.

Watabu also has an odd dilemma. Unless he misses the cut, he won't be able to make the benefit tournament in his honor Sunday on Kaua'i. That event will help him with travel expenses to Georgia. Watabu leaves Monday for three weeks of preparation.

"I actually felt obligated to be at the benefit," Watabu said. "But my mom and everybody else said you've got play this tournament so you can get that sense of competitiveness. So I'll try my best."

The state amateur starts today at Pearl Country Club. The 86-player field also includes defending champion Toru Nakajima — one of a handful of golfers from Japan — along with Manoa Cup champions Kellen-Floyd Asao and Brandan Kop and state high school champion Chan Kim.

Sacred Hearts junior Ayaka Kaneko, who lost a playoff at the LPGA's Fields Open in Hawai'i qualifier, is the only female. Tadd Fujikawa, third last year behind Nakajima and Kop, is not playing.

Watabu doesn't feel he has a solid grip on the state of his game without the perpetual play that ended after his senior season at Nevada last year. He figures he can find it in the days leading up to The Masters

"I'm just anxious now to experience it, to get there already," Watabu said. "I've been waiting so long. I'm going to play as much as I can up there."

SUGIMOTO TO RETIRE

Paul Sugimoto, executive director of the Aloha Section PGA since 1996, announced his retirement. He will officially step down June 30.

Sugimoto was originally hired by the section as communications chief in 1991. He has overseen the growth of the Aloha Section from a member-services organization to the industry leader in Hawai'i golf.

Sugimoto spearheaded the formation of the Aloha Section PGA Foundation, the fundraising arm of the Aloha Section.

The section has created a search committee for a new executive director and hopes to have someone this summer.

NOTES

"Emily Gail Talks Golf" airs Saturday at 6 p.m. on the Pacific Radio Group Big Island ESPN radio network (AM850 Hilo, AM790 Kona). The show includes conversations with Honoka'a senior Sean Maekawa, the BIIF Athlete of the Year, and Ross Birch, Director of Golf Sales at Mauna Lani Resort.