Nobumitsu Yuhara, from Japan, won Hawai'i's U.S. Senior Open qualifier yesterday, earning the lone spot at next month's national championship after shooting a 4-under-par 68 at Hawai'i Prince. The golfers played Prince's B-C layout, from the championship tees (7,000 yards-plus).

'Aiea's David Ishii earned first-alternate status. He and Glenn Tamagawa, from Kapa'a, both shot 69. Ishii won the playoff with par on the first playoff hole. Tamagawa is the second alternate.

Ishii and Yuhara, 51, both play part-time on Japan's pro tour. Yuhara has seven wins and Ishii 14.

Larry Stubblefield, like Ishii a member of the Hawai'i Golf Hall of Fame, tied for fourth with Stan Souza at 71. Hisashi Nakase, the only other golfer from Japan, was another shot back. Honolulu pro and junior coach Casey Nakama was at 73 with Lahaina's Clive Kegel and Rohn Stark.

There were 29 players, including nine amateurs, in the qualifier. Three came from the Mainland.

This year's U.S. Senior Open is July 30 to Aug. 2 at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, Ind.

PGA PROFESSIONAL

ISLE GOLFERS MISS CUT

Aloha Section PGA pros John Lynch, John Hearn and Ron Castillo missed the cut yesterday at the 42nd PGA Professional National Championship, in Santa Ana Pueblo, N.M.

Mark Sheftic, a teaching pro from Merion Golf Club in Pennsylvania, leads at the halfway point after rounds of 67-68. He has a 36-hole score of 7-under-par 135 in the showcase event for PGA Professionals and owns a one-stroke advantage over Kyle Flinton (69) of Oklahoma City, Okla.

Lynch rallied with a 1-over 72 yesterday, but still missed the cut by seven after an opening 79. He is the Director of Instruction at GolfTec-Honolulu and the section's Player of the year in 2004 and 2008.

Hearn (75-76) also shot 151. The teaching pro at KMR School of Golf won the 2003 Waikoloa Open.

Castillo, winner of the section's 2002 stroke and match play, is a teaching pro at Princeville. He shot a 75 yesterday and finished at 155.

There were 87 players making the 36-hole cut of 2-over-par 144, joining the chase for the Walter Hagen Cup in the final two rounds at Twin Warriors Golf Club.

The championship features a $550,000 purse, and began with a field of 312 players representing 43 states and 41 PGA Sections. The low 20 scorers earn a berth in the 91st PGA Championship, Aug. 13 to 16, at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn.