LANIKAI — Led by young guns TJ Kua, Bradley Shigezawa and David Saka, the amateurs beat the professionals, 13-11, yesterday to make it three in a row for the first time in the 37-year history of the John A. Burns Challenge Cup.

Kua, a sophomore on the University of Hawai'i golf team, led the amateurs' charge by routing Joe Phengsavath, 7 and 6, in the most lopsided of the 12 singles matches yesterday at the Mid-Pacific Country Club. Kua closed out his match on the par-5 12th hole by tapping in for a two-foot eagle putt after a 4-iron from 208 yards out to the island green.

Shigezawa (Punahou) and Saka (Moanalua), both high school seniors, also joined Kua in going 3-0 overall by winning their singles matches and contributing to the amateurs' successful rally. Matt Pakkala and playing captain Ron Castillo Jr. had won the first two matches to break the 6-6 tie after Monday's team competition. Shigezawa defeated Regan Lee, 3 and 2, to put the amateurs' first point on the board at about the same time Kua was closing out Phengsavath.

Saka, who's UH-bound, beat veteran Wade Nishimoto, 4 and 2, and then watched Matt Ma and Lorens Chan, an 'Iolani School 10th-grader, score 1-up victories over Travis Toyama and Eric Dugas, respectively, as the amateurs took the lead for good.

Brandan Kop then got the next point with a 2-and-1 victory over Andrew Feldmann, and another veteran, Jonathan Ota, defeated Lance Taketa, 3 and 2, for the clinching point as the amateurs won seven of the 12 singles matches. John Hearn, John Lynch and Beau Yokomoto posted the other victories for the professionals.

Playing in his 29th Governor's Cup, as the event is more familiarly known, Kop had been on two previous amateurs teams that failed in a three-peat attempt. He credited the play of the youngsters for finally making it happen. "These young guys are so good now," said Kop, but quickly added, "We had some over-40 guys, too," referring to himself, Ota, also 48 as is Kop, and first-time Governor Cup amateurs, Scott Ichimura (50) and Mike Kawate (52).

Still, it was the play of the young guns that did the pros in.

Kua led 5-up at the turn and then birdied 10 and eagled 12 in a bogey-free round, in which he hit every green in regulation.

Shigezawa hit his opening tee shot OB and found himself down two after two holes, pulling even with birdies at 3 and 4. He birdied 10 and 11 to go 2-up, and ended the match with a two-putt birdie at the par-5 16th.

"It wasn't a good feeling to go 2 down," said Shigezawa, who said he was struggling with his ball-striking. "Today, it was all about scrambling and putting."

Chan had the greatest escape to win. He had an early 3-up lead over Eric Dugas but found himself down one after the Kukio pro birdied 16th. But their match was all squared when Dugas hit two balls out of bounds at the narrow par-4 17th.

Both hit wayward drives at the finishing hole, and took two more shots to reach the green. Chan then sank a 10-footer for par after Dugas missed his par attempt.

"It's a great feeling to beat the pros and to represent the amateur team to win three in a row," said Chan, who along with Shigezawa and Kop were members of the winning team each time. The 12 amateurs now have marked down Dec. 21 on their golf calendar. That's the day one of them will earn a sponsor's exemption in next January's Sony Open in Hawai'i.

Despite the loss, the pros still lead the series, 23-13, with one tie in 1983.

MATCH-PLAY RESULTS

Matt Pakkala (p) def. Ryan Perez (a), 3 and 2

Ron Castillo Jr. (p) def. Nainoa Calip (a), 4 and 3

Bradley Shigezawa (a) def. Regan Lee (p), 3 and 2

John Hearn (p) def. Mike Kawate (a), 1 up

Matthew Ma (a) def. Travis Toyama (p), 1 up

Lorens Chan (a) def. Eric Dugas (p), 1 up

David Saka (a) def. Wade Nishimoto (p), 4 and 2

Brandan Kop (a) def. Andrew Feldmann (p), 2 and 1

Beau Yokomoto (p) def. Scott Ichimura (a), 3 and 2

Jonathan Ota (a) def. Lance Taketa (p), 3 and 2

John Lynch (p) def. Christian Akau (a), 2 up

TJ Kua (a) def. Joe Phengsavath (p), 7 and 6