'AIEA — After all the talk about teenagers, it turns out a pair of 30-year-olds have the best shot at winning the 30th annual Hawai'i Pearl Open.

Arizona pro Chris O'Connor, 30, bolted into first place with a 5-under-par 67 in yesterday's second round at Pearl Country Club. His two-day total of 8-under 136 has him alone at the top, with an asterisk: First-round leader Azuma Yano, also 30, was also 8-under through 16 holes when the horn sounded at 6:30 last night to end play.

He and the 29 other golfers yet to finish will complete their rounds when the sun comes up this morning. From there, the cut will be made. The top 80 and ties play the final round today, with the top 15 amateurs also guaranteed to advance.

After yesterday, 77 players finished at 2-over 146 or better, including 12-year-old qualifier Masamichi Ito (74—146). Punahou senior Stephanie Kono, one of three females in the field, is at 74—147, but has the eighth-best amateur score.

The leaders will go out last. Expect Yano to have time for breakfast after he finishes Nos. 17 — a birdie-friendly par-5 — and 18. He was 30th on the JGTO money list last year and had four birdies yesterday while he surreptitiously spied on 16-year-old Japanese wunderkind Ryo Ishikawa, who finished with an impressive 67 three groups ahead.

Yano, with earrings in each ear and a scraggly beard and mustache in progress, is more worried about 52-year-old Kiyoshi Murota, who shares second with California pro Dan Kupfer and spends so much time here he represents Turtle Bay. Both are a shot behind O'Connor. Kupfer shot a 68 and Murota a 69 with bogey at the par-5 fifth after he yanked his second shot out of bounds.

Murota, a legend on the JGTO and two-time winner here, has proved himself for some 30 years. In contrast, Ishikawa was a relative unknown in May when he won a JGTO event as a 15-year-old amateur. He turned pro last month, with Yonex and Panasonic endorsement deals.

"Young people shoot good scores," Yano said through an interpreter. "But the fear of a final round changes them."

Six-time Aloha Section PGA Player of the Year Kevin Hayashi, also a two-time winner at Pearl, is two shots off the lead after a 71 that left him gasping for air on the greens. Hayashi was 4-under for the day and 9-under for the tournament after 12 holes yesterday.

"Then I missed a short one for par on the 13th and three-putted 15 and 16," Hayashi said. "Then I missed a short birdie on 17. Sad, terrible. ... I don't think I have a chance to win. I need a miracle. I don't have confidence with the putter, at all. Maybe I'll putt with my driver."

For all his frustration, Hayashi is tied for fourth with Mainland pros John Ellis and Jesse Mueller, and former UH golfer Pierre-Henri Soero, who shot himself into contention with a 68.

Ishikawa shares eighth, at 139, with two Japan pros and 2005 Hilo High graduate Jacob Low, now a pro in Arizona. Low also shot 68 in pursuit of today's $12,000 first prize.

Another shot back is Bradley Shigezawa, one of Hawai'i's gifts to the 16-year-old phenom pool. The Punahou sophomore played with Ishikawa the first two days — followed by more than 100 people — and led him by two after 13 holes yesterday. Ishikawa closed with birdies on three of the final five holes while Shigezawa played them in even-par, shooting a six-birdie/three-bogey 69.

"It was very interesting," said Shigezawa. "I've never played with so many cameramen and spectators in my life. The workers out here kept them in check good, though, and they didn't bother us. It was a good experience, I guess. I sure hope so."

NOTES

Of the 44 who finished their first round yesterday morning, only five broke par — Yoshinobu Tsukada (68), Ryoma Yamagata (70), Norman-Ganin Asao (70), Taichi Aiso (71) and Nick Mason (71). Four players withdrew yesterday, another was disqualified and one was a no-show.

There has been so much rain recently that Pearl has not used its sprinkler system since November. Thursday's Pro-Am was called after 15 holes when 1.37 inches of rain dropped in about 20 minutes.

Reach Ann Miller at amiller@honoluluadvertiser.com.