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Bringing Aloha to Augusta: PGA Professional Steve Murphy’s Son Shane Murphy Rides Dream Trip Momentum to Drive, Chip & Putt National Finals
By Tony L. Starks
Published on
Earlier this year, Steve Murphy did something he typically shies away from as a PGA Professional. He scrolled through his contacts and called in a few favors.
The PGA Director of Golf at North Shore Preserve in Princeville, Hawaii, and former President of the Aloha PGA Section, pieced together a dream itinerary across California – Los Angeles CC, Riviera, Cypress, Pebble Beach, MPCC and more.
A bucket-list trip by any standard.
But this one wasn’t for him, his golf buddies or his members. It was for his 15-year-old son, Shane.
“It was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of deal, I made sure he knew that,” Murphy laughed. “I mean, it was just an unbelievable experience in a 12-day span to play arguably some of the nicest courses in California. As a 15-year-old, it was pretty cool. And it kind of opened his eyes to how cool the golf network is and the different courses. He just got pretty pumped up.”
That trip was a spark. And it came at exactly the right time.
For much of his young life, baseball and fishing held Shane’s attention. Golf was always there – his father is a longtime PGA Professional after all – but it was never forced.
That was by design.
“I’ve been coaching him here and there for his whole life, but I never put the pressure on him,” Murphy said. “I’ve seen a lot of kids get burnt out… parents really pushing. I just never wanted to do that.”
Instead, Steve let the game come to Shane.
The California trip helped turn curiosity into commitment. And soon after returning home to Hawaii, Shane carried that momentum into competition.
As a sophomore at Kauai High School, where his dad has coached for years and guided both of Shane’s older sisters through the program, he recently won a match against a field that included upperclassmen – a clear sign his game is trending upward at the right time.
At the Drive, Chip & Putt regional qualifier at Hualalai Golf Course, he delivered again when it mattered most, earning his spot at the National Finals at Augusta National Golf Club.
From Kauai to Augusta
At the time of this conversation, the Murphys were sitting in the Maui airport, beginning their journey to Georgia.
For Steve, the moment carried a deeper meaning.
“So I’ve been a PGA member for 20-plus years and always had a ticket to Augusta (one of the hidden perks of PGA Membership is tickets to the Masters every year), but I never went,” he said. “It’s really just an amazing thing for me to have my son actually bring me there for the first time.”
“Being at Augusta for the first time… coming all the way from Kauai,” Murphy added. “Yeah, it’s pretty cool. Pretty cool.”
Shane will be one of four finalists representing Hawaii, bringing a distinct Aloha spirit to this year’s Drive, Chip & Putt Finals. It’s a stage built for the game’s next generation, but also one that highlights the families and mentors who help shape that journey.
“My oldest is 22, I have a 20-year-old daughter. Both of them played on the high school team. Both of them still play golf. And my wife plays as well,” Murphy said. “We play as a family… it’s just one of the things that’s kept us tight and something we can all do together.”
That environment has shaped Shane’s approach as much as any lesson. Now, with the stage set, the Murphys are bringing a little Aloha to Augusta.
