He'll always be known as Uncle Kevin to his friends ever since Michelle Wie affectionately called him that after being paired in the 2004 Sony Open in Hawai'i.

But Kevin Hayashi is better known in local golf circles as a player who's either winning or finishing high atop the leaderboard.

So it wasn't surprising to see the 45-year-old Hilo native winning the Aloha Section PGA Stroke Play Championship at the Ka'anapali North Course on Maui for the fourth time yesterday. He was also the 36-hole medalist in earning one of three local spots in the 2008 PGA of America Professional National Championship in Georgia next June. (Kirk Nelson and Ron Castillo Jr. are the other two who qualified.)

Hayashi's latest victory is yet another crown in an impressive resume that virtually assures him as a future inductee into the Hawai'i Golf Hall of Fame.

Despite a limited playing schedule this year, Hayashi is in the running for the Aloha Section's 2007 Player-of-the-Year honors, an award he has won five times.

The only three-peat champion of the Hawai'i State Open (1999 to 2001), Hayashi has also won the Hawai'i Pearl Open twice (1994, 2000) as well as being a two-time champion of the Hall of Fame Championship. Other victories include the 2001 ASPGA Match Play Championship, the 1986 JAL Rainbow Open when he was an amateur and the 1993 Makaha Open, the last time that event was held.

For Hayashi, though, it's more than just winning tournaments.

He's also involved with around 40 junior golfers from ages 7 to 17.

"I teach both sides (of the Big Island)," he says, referring to programs he conducts at the Mauna Kea Resort in West Hawai'i, where he is teaching pro, and at the Hilo Municipal.

Hayashi is amazed at how skilled young golfers are today compared to his days as a youngster starting out.

"Kids today play in so many more tournaments on the Mainland. And they do well," he says. "Stephanie (Kono). Ayaka (Kaneko). They've proving they're no flukes."

According to Hayashi, the same can be said of Kimberly Kim, who's also doing her native Big Island proud though now residing in Arizona.

They're fine examples of players who are dedicated to the game of golf, says Hayashi, who feels his own success came as a result of feeling "like I can do it."

Adds Hayashi, "I tell my kids, if you believe in yourself, then anything can happen. Like Michelle."

Speaking of Wie, Hayashi still closely follows her career and that of Hawai'i's other touted teenager who turned pro, Tadd Fujikawa.

Asked about Wie's woes in a disappointing 2007, Hayashi believes the Stanford freshman will find her game once again.

"Golf is a funny game. It's all about confidence. Look at Steve Stricker," Hayashi said about the PGA Tour's 2006 comeback player of the year.

"I really believe Michelle will be fine. She's got too much talent not to. I'm sure she'll work hard and do what she did before to get there."

He feels as confident about Fujikawa, who has yet to make a cut in four tournaments since turning pro.

"I think he turned pro a little too early. But he has a tremendous amount of talent not to succeed. Give him a year or two."

Hayashi didn't turn pro until he was 25, the year after he won the 1986 JAL Rainbow Open. Finishing ahead of professionals Allan Yamamoto and Lance Suzuki in that event that year certainly boosted his confidence, he said.

That year he also won the Mayor's Cup and the Hilo Masters and played in the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship in North Carolina.

Hayashi has been on a roll in local golf in his two decades as a professional ever since.

Unfortunately, he won't play in the Prince Resorts Hawai'i State Open in November because it'll conflict with the TaylorMade Pro-Am in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. He's a member of the TaylorMade staff here.

One date Hayashi and Aloha Section pros have all circled is the Dec. 17 qualifying at the Waialae Country Club for the section's one spot for next January's Sony Open.

In previous years, the Aloha Section had been given three spots, one of them automatically going to the player of the year. This year, the lone spot will go to the winner of an 18-hole playoff among the section's point leaders.

"With only one spot, it's the right thing to do. I think it's fair," Hayashi said.

Bill Kwon can be reached at bkwon@aloha.net