GOLF BRIEFS
Charities benefit from Rainbow Pro-Am

Advertiser Staff

Today's Pro-Am for the 29th annual Mililani Rainbow Open will benefit 11 nonprofit organizations on O'ahu.

The 54-hole tournament begins tomorrow at Mililani Golf Club. Parker McLachlin, last year's champion, is graduating from UCLA this weekend and will not defend his title.

The Kobayashi Group is the new owner of Mililani. In the past eight years, Sports Shinko donated more than $150,000 to non-profits through the Pro-Am.

This year's recipients include Mililani Middle School, Mililani High School's Scholarship Foundation, Soroptomist International (Central O'ahu), American Cancer Society (Central-Leeward), Mililani Junior Golf Association and Golf Team Hawai'i.

Golf starts at 6:30 a.m. tomorrow and Saturday, and 7 a.m. Sunday. The leaders go out around 9 a.m. the final day. There will be a 36-hole cut.

The professional champion wins $5,000, along with airfare to the Big Island and two nights at the Mauna Kea Beach Hotel.

Last year, McLachlin became the first amateur to win at Mililani since Clayton Gomi in 1996. Jerry Mullen was the low pro, two shots back. Kevin Hayashi and Ivan Cunningham tied for third. Mullen (1988) and Hayashi (1986) both won this event as amateurs.

This year's pro field includes Mullen, Hayashi, Deron Doi, Shane Hoshino, Regan and Reynold Lee, Casey Nakama, Dean Prince, Brian Sasada, Larry Stubblefield and Beau Yokomoto. Gomi is in Championship (amateur) Flight, along with Del-Marc Fujita, Brandan Kop and Randy Shibuya.

No U.S. Open for Tomori, Rarick

Hilo's Christel Tomori and former University of Hawai'i golfer Cindy Rarick failed to advance to the U.S. Women's Open at sectional qualifying Tuesday in Long Grove, Ill.

The 36-hole event at Twin Orchard Country Club was postponed eight days because of bad weather.

Mexico's Lorena Ochoa won the sectional with a 140 total. Ochoa recently turned pro after winning an NCAA-record seven consecutive collegiate tournaments for Arizona. The final qualifying score was 145.

Scores for Tomori, who plays on the Futures Tour, and Rarick, a five-time winner on the LPGA tour, were not available.

The 2002 U.S. Women's Open is July 4-7 at Prairie Dunes Country Club in Hutchinson, Kan. It has a record $3 million purse.

Pros, juniors play business leaders

The second annual Professional-Business Leader-Junior Tournament (PBJ) is July 8 at Hawai'i Prince Golf Club. It has a 12:30 p.m. shotgun start.

PBJ precedes the Callaway Hawai'i State Junior Championship, July 9-10 at the Prince.

PBJ is sponsored by Aloha Section PGA and Hawai'i State Junior Golf Association. The benefit brings together 36 golf pros and 36 juniors who have qualified for the State Championship to play with local business leaders.

It is designed to provide juniors mentoring and fellowship from some of the most successful Hawai'i professionals and business leaders. Players who have committed include Outrigger Hotel CEO David Carey, Bank of Hawai'i's Gary Iki, First Insurance CEO Allen Uyeda, Panda Travel President Lydia Tsui, Makena pro Howard Kihune, Kapalua's Jerry King and Tim Herek of Hawai'i Prince.

Entry fee is $500 per business leader. For more information, call the Aloha Section (593-2230) or HSJGA (532-0559).

Big Isle's Kimi gets Publinx berth

Ricky Kimi birdied the sixth extra hole to earn the Big Island's spot for the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship Saturday.

Kimi and Gabriel Wilson, both seniors at Waiakea, shot 2-over-par 144 in the 36-hole qualifier at Hilo Muni.

Wilson is first alternate and Kyle Tengan earned the second alternate position by winning a three-hole playoff with Russ McGarry and Darryl Yagi. The trio tied at 148.

There were 41 players entered in the qualifier.

O'ahu and Maui qualifiers are Saturday at Ala Wai and Waiehu. Shannon Sibayan earned Kaua'i's spot last Saturday.

The national championship is July 15-20, at Washington, Mich.

Seminar, tourney and yoga/golf

Ko'olau Golf Club is the site of a seminar, kama'aina tournament and yoga/golf series in the next month.

On June 29, the Aloha Academy of Golf at Ko'olau will have a Game Improvement Seminar, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Cost is $69.95. The seminar will cover mechanics, physical and mental aspects of the game and equipment. Call 236-4653, ext. 240.

The Member/Kama'aina Day is June 30. The tournament celebrates the completion of the course's recent greens renovation. Entry fee is $40 for Ko'olau members and $50 for kama'aina. Tournament format is 3-person best ball, with an 8 a.m. shotgun start. For information, call 236-4653, ext. 1.

Every Sunday from July 7-28, the Aloha Academy will offer a golf/yoga instruction package. Golf is from 3:30-4:30 p.m., with Yo-Golf — a yoga class designed for golfers — from 4:30-5:30.

Cost is $55 per session for golf and Yo-Golf, $40 for golf only and $15 for Yo-Golf only. The four-session special is $185 for both, $135 for golf and $48 for Yo-Golf. Call 780-7522 for more information.

Getting listed

To have your event included in upcoming sports notices, please write to:

You can also fax your information to (808) 525-5491 or e-mail it to: sports@honoluluadvertiser.com.

Preference is given to nonprofit organizations and special recreational events. Participation fees and deadlines must be included.

Club information is accepted, space does not permit publication of private class/instruction offerings.