Hawai'i loses LPGA event

Associated Press

The LPGA's Takefuji Classic is leaving Hawai'i for Las Vegas next year and raising its purse to $1.1 million.

The LPGA Tour has not had an event in Las Vegas since the season-ending Tour Championship in 1999.

The move to Las Vegas leaves Hawai'i without a full-field LPGA tournament in 2003. Previously, there had been at least one LPGA event in the state since 1982.

The Takefuji Classic will be played April 17-19 at Las Vegas Country Club.

It had been the first tournament of the year when it was played in Hawai'i. Annika Sorenstam is the defending champion.

U.S. leads Rest of World: The teams of Hale Irwin-Tom Kite and Mark O'Meara-Tom Watson won the final two matches yesterday to lift the United States to a 3 1/2-2 1/2 lead over The Rest of the World on the first day of the Warburg Cup at St. Simons Island, Ga.

Irwin and Kite beat Rodger Davis and Stewart Ginn 3 and 2 to get the Americans even. Then O'Meara and Watson beat Barry Lane and Denis Durnian 2 and 1.

The first team to 12 1/2 points wins the second annual event. The U.S. won last year at Kiawah Island, S.C.

Australian leads in Japan: Australian Brendan Jones fired a 3-under 69 for a 134 total and a one-shot lead over Tsuneyuki Nakajima after two rounds of the Mitsui Sumitomo VISA Taiheiyo Masters at Gotemba, Japan.

Kane'ohe's Dean Wilson was at 67—141.