Phengsavath, Kop lead entrants for Amatour

By Bill Kwon

State Amateur champion Joe Phengsavath, Brandan Kop and former National Public Links champion Guy Yamamoto are among the 117 players entered in the inaugural Amatour qualifying tournament Saturday and Sunday at the Makaha Resort Golf Course. The top 60 qualifiers will be eligible to play in the five Amatour events scheduled the rest of the year.

All participants for the qualifier should check their tee times either by checking the Web site www.amatourhawaii.com or by calling Makaha Resort Golf Club at 695-9544 and asking for the Pro Shop.

• Fazio to open April 1: Turtle Bay's Fazio Course with its newly renovated back nine held a soft opening Saturday and will be open for play beginning April 1, according to Dennis Rose, the resort's director of golf.

The Palmer Course, formerly named the Links at Kuilima, will be shut down to redo all 18 greens for the Senior PGA Tour's Turtle Bay Championships in October.

• Television: Jerry King, head teaching professional at the Kapalua Golf Academy and four-time Aloha Section PGA teacher of the year, will be appearing on The Golf Channel's "Golf Academy Live" Tuesday, starting at 3 p.m., Hawai'i time.