Again.

The 6-foot Wie showcased her talents nationally with a 20,000-mile, three-month summer tour across the United States. There also was a trip to South Korea early last month to play in her seventh LPGA event of the year, counting the U.S. Women's Open in which she became the youngest player to make the cut.

What can Wie do for an encore in 2004?

Apparently, a lot more.

Wie has got her men's size-9 1/2 shoe in the door for acclaim by receiving a sponsor's exemption to the Sony Open, Jan. 15 to 18 at the Waialae Country Club. Imagine, if you will, if she makes the cut.

Sony officials are delighted in extending an invitation to the Punahou School ninth-grader, as well they should be.

"It's a good idea because she's from Hawai'i, which probably makes more sense than if she got an exemption to a PGA event elsewhere, like the Byron Nelson," said NBC-TV golf analyst Mark Rolfing. "It's good for the publicity and good for the golf fans of Hawai'i. Nobody has seen her play here for a long time. I saw her recently, and you can't believe how much she has matured."

Wie gave Brian Harman, the reigning national boys' champion from Savannah, Ga., a close-up look at her game this Monday in a friendly match that included Travis Toyama, one of Hawai'i's top juniors, and Harman's traveling buddy, Justin Smith.

Playing from the back tees, Wie made 10 birdies in shooting a 9-under 63 at the Pearl Country Club.

Pearl CC has been the only site of a Michelle sighting in local tournaments this year. She finished tied for 43rd place in the Hawai'i Pearl Open and tied for fourth in the Hawai'i State Amateur Championship, both men's events.

Which leads to a pair of interesting trivia questions:

Who won the most women's tournaments locally this year?

And who can lay claim to being the first wahine to beat the men in a local tournament?

Wrong, on both counts if you said Wie.

The answer to the first question is Stephanie Kono, like Wie a Punahou prodigy who hasn't as yet played for her high school golf team.

Kono, a 14-year-old eighth-grader, won four events in 2003: the Jennie K. Wilson Invitational, the HSWGA Stroke Play Championship, the Hawai'i State Women's Open and the Hawai'i State Junior Golf Association's Tournament of Champions.

The answer to the second question is Hilo's Amanda Wilson, who enjoyed a remarkable year as well. Playing from the men's tees, the Waiakea High School junior won the A-flight of the Waikoloa Open, beating the rest of the guys by four strokes.

Kono and Wilson both also had busy summers on the Mainland, as the two, along with Wie, qualified to make the top 64 in the U.S. Girls Junior Championships in Fairfield, Conn. Wilson also played in her seventh straight Junior World Championships in San Diego.

It was Wilson who Kono defeated in playoff to win the girls' 15-18 title in the HSJGA championships this month at the Wailea Emerald Course on Maui.

As for pro golf in 2003, the year started with Ernie Els running off with Hawai'i's aloha golf season, winning the Mercedes Championships and the Sony Open in successive weeks.

Other PGA notables included U.S. Open champion Jim Furyk winning the Tigerless Grand Slam at Po'ipu Bay and Hale Irwin setting a senior tour record with his fourth straight title (with an asterisk) in the Turtle Bay Championship. The TBC isn't on the 2004 Champions Tour calendar, but is expected to reappear in 2005. Does that mean yet another asterisk if Irwin wins it again?

Kane'ohe native Dean Wilson might not have posted a victory in his rookie season on the PGA Tour, but he kept his exemption by finishing 98th on the 2003 money list with $654,345. More significantly, he won over a lot of hearts with his show of support for Annika Sorenstam as a playing partner in the Bank of America Colonial.

Congratulations also to:

• Travis Toyama for winning the national 35th Independent Insurance Agent Junior Classic in New Jersey by a record 10 strokes, bettering the tournament record held by Tiger Woods.

• Kevin Hayashi, Aloha Section PGA's player of the year.

• Chase Chulakote, Hawai'i State Amateur Stroke Play and O'ahu Interscholastic Association boys' champion.

Bill Kwon can be reached at bkwon@aloha.net.

2003 Hawai'i Golf

Champions

January

• Mercedes Championships — Ernie Els, Kapalua Plantation.
• Sony Open in Hawai'i — Ernie Els, Waialae CC.
• ConAgra Champions Skins Game — Lee Trevino, Wailea Gold.
• ConAgra LPGA Skins Game — Karrie Webb, Wailea Gold.

February

• MasterCard Championship — Dana Quigley, Hualalai GC.
• Hawai'i Pearl Open — Greg Meyer, Pearl CC.
• Hilo Invitational — Tommy Kim, Hilo Municipal.
• HPLGA 4-Ball — Troy Higashiyama-Pomaikai Shishido and Parker McLachlin-Mark Chun declared co-champions, Makalena GC.

March

• Big Island Candies Scotch 4-Ball — Kevin Hayashi-Lance Taketa, Hapuna GC.
• Hawaii State Amateur Stroke Play Championship — Chase Chulakote, Pearl CC.
• Wilson/ProLink/GolfSwitch Pro-Pro Championship — Kevin Carll-Matt Hall, Ko Olina.

April

• Mid-Pacific Open — Regan Lee, Mid-Pacific CC.
• WAC Women's Championship — Tulsa, Kapolei GC.
• OIA — Boys: Chase Chulakote (Kailua HS), individual; Mililani HS, team. Girls: Ayumi Horii (Moanalua HS), individual; Moanalua HS, team, Turtle Bay Palmer Course.
• ILH— Travis Toyama (University HS), boys, O'ahu CC/Makaha West; Lindsay Hong (Punahou), girls, O'ahu CC.

May

• Verizon Hawai'i Hall of Fame Championship — Kevin Carll, Kapalua Plantation.
• David S. Ishii Foundation Hawaii State Girls Championship — Kira-Ann Murashige (Hilo HS), individual; Hilo High School, team, Waikoloa Beach.
• David S. Ishii Foundation Hawaii State Boys High Championships — Tracy Higashiyama (MPI); Waikoloa HS, team, Waikoloa Kings'.
• 52nd Francis Brown 4-Ball — Joey Tadeo-Gary Kong, Ala Wai GC.
• Jennie K. Wilson Invitational — Stephanie Kono, Mid-Pacific CC.
• HSGA Senior Amateur Championship — Paul Kimura, Mid-Pacific CC.
• U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship — Michelle Wie, Ocean Hammock GC, Palm Coast, Fla.
• Noe Noe Women's Invitational — Mike Escueta, men; Pualani Daniels, women, Volcano Golf & CC.

June

• Manoa Cup — Kellen-Floyd Asao, O'ahu CC.
• Ashworth Kapalua Clambake — Mike Zaremba (pro), Kim Von Tempsky (amateur), Kapalua Resort.
• HSWGA Match Play Championship — Bobbi Kokx, O'ahu CC.
• Pearl President's Cup — Norman-Ganin Asao, Pearl CC.
• Aloha Section PGA Match Play Championships — Kevin Hayashi and Mike Iyoki (senior), Turtle Bay Palmer Course.

July

• Callaway Hawaii State Junior Championship — Allan Babb (Kaua'i HS), boys; Lehua Wise (Kaua'i HS), girls, Hawai'i Prince.
• OCC Men's Invitational — Merv Matsumoto, O'ahu CC.
• Waialae Women's Invitational — Mona Kim, gross; Michiko Kimura, net, Waialae CC.
• Pua Melia Invitational —Kathy Tsukada, Olomana.
• Aloha Section PGA Club Pro Sr. Championship — Mike Iyoki, Leilehua GC.

August

• 80th Big Island Amateur — Douglas Oki, Waikoloa Kings'.
• Aloha Section PGA Club Professional Championship — John Lynch, The Club at Hokulia.
• HSWGA Stroke Play Championship — Stephanie Kono, Mid-Pacific CC.
• Army Invitational — Brandan Kop, Leilehua and Kalakaua GC.
• 35th Independent Insurance Agent Jr. Classic — Travis Toyama, Olde York CC, Columbus, N.J.
• Aloha Section PGA Assistants Championship —Jerry Mullen, Ko Olina.
• HSWGA Senior Championship — Marcie Rudich, Waikele GC.
• Barbers Point Invitational — Matthew Ma, Barbers Point GC.
• Hapuna Roundup — Kevin Carll, Hapuna GC.

September

• AT&T Aloha Section PGA Stroke Play Championships — John Lynch; Larry Stubblefield (senior), Mauna Kea.
• Korean Invitational —John Mun, West Loch.
• Hickam Invitational — Mark Chun, Mamala Bay GC.
• Waikoloa Open — John Hearn; Dick McClean (senior), Waikoloa Resort.
• Mayor's Cup — Norman-Ganin Asao, Ala Wai GC.

October

• Turtle Bay Championship — Hale Irwin, Turtle Bay Palmer Course.
• Golf Concepts 4-Ball Championship — Andrew Feldmann-Larry Stubblefield, O'ahu CC.
• OCC Senior Men's Invitational — Russ McGarry; Wendell Kop (super senior), 140, O'ahu CC.
• Aloha Section PGA Assistant 4-Ball Championship — Beau Yokomoto-John Lynch, Honolulu CC.

November

• Bridgestone Pro/Scratch — Kevin Hayashi-Elton Tanaka, Pearl CC.
• Hawai'i Amatour Tournament Championship — Norman-Ganin Asao, Honolulu CC.
• HSGA Senior Championship — Wendell Kop, Leilehua GC.
• Hawai'i State Open Championships — Chris Moe (men); Stephanie Kono (women); George Newbeck (senior), Hapuna GC.
• Burns Challenge Cup — Pros, Mid-Pacific CC.

December