SONY OPEN NOTES
Aoki returns to tourney he won 20 years ago
By Ferd Lewis and Ann Miller
Advertiser Staff Writers
Approaching the 20th anniversary of his improbable Hawaiian Open victory, Isao Aoki is putting in an appearance at Waialae Country Club again.
Aoki, who won the 1983 Hawaiian Open with a dramatic one-bounce-into-the-cup eagle-3 on a 128-yard wedge shot, has been following another golfer from Japan, Shigeki Maruyama.
Maruyama is in sixth place, two strokes behind co-leaders Retief Goosen and Aaron Baddeley.
Aoki's triumph came on Feb. 13, 1983, and made him the first Asian to win a PGA Tour tournament.
John Cook, who finished tied for 17th that year, and Larry Mize who was 60th, are the only players who finished that event who played in this year's Sony Open.
New Zealand Open
Parry skips defending title: Craig Parry is the defending champion of the New Zealand Open, but you won't find him in Auckland trying to retain it.
Parry was at Waialae where he shot a 6-over-par 76 yesterday for a two-day 144 and missed the cut by four strokes.
His website, www.CraigParry.com, notified fans this week that, "unfortunately I won't be defending my New Zealand Open title due to promoters declining to make any offer for me to defend, unlike what they have done for many players in the past.
"This is their right as it is my right to decide where I play. The modest fee my manager requested would have only covered the airfares Sydney/Hawai'i/Auckland/
Sydney despite my improved world ranking to Number 31."
FAILED TO QUALIFY
Hawai'i's seven miss cut: Waipahu's Regan Lee came the closest, but none of the seven Hawai'i players survived the 140 cut yesterday.
Lee, who plans to go back on the Gateway mini-tour this year, closed with a 69 to finish at 2-over 142. He was followed by Castle High graduate — and PGA Tour rookie — Dean Wilson (69-143), Makena Director of Golf Kirk Nelson (79-152), Honolulu amateur Joe Phengsavath (76-152), 2002 Aloha Section PGA Player of the Year Ron Castillo Jr. (75-153), Kapalua pro Douglas Bohn (76-155) and Maui amateur Royden Heirakuji (78-158).
Wilson tied for 23rd last year in his first Sony Open, playing the final three rounds in 10-under par.
PGA TOUR CHARITY
$700 million since 1938: The PGA Tour, which supports more than 2,000 charities annually, donated more than $68 million last year. It has raised nearly $700 million since it started keeping track of charitable donations in 1938. All the money goes to the communities that host tour events.
"Our commitment to charity is one of our greatest strengths and the one that sets us apart from other sports," PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem says. "We like to say that giving back is at the heart of the PGA Tour."
Friend of Hawai'i Charities, Inc., has given out about $2 million in project grant distributions since the Sony Open in Hawai'i started in 1999. FOHC's donations are augmented by title sponsor Sony Corporation and The Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, which matches the Friends' fundraising efforts each year. The goal is to give $1 million annually by 2005.
The FOHC's mission statement is: "To bring together financial resources from the private sector and spirited volunteerism from the community, to produce sports and cultural events that generate funds for charities serving Hawai'i women, children, youth and needy."
Grant applications will be accepted until Feb. 15. For more information, call 523-7888 or visit friendsofhawaii.org.
SHORT PUTTS
Ernie Els has played here twice before, finishing fifth in 2000 and fourth in 2001. ...ÊEls is 21-under on the par-5 holes this year. ... The ninth hole was good for another dozen eagles yesterday, including one to Regan Lee. It has given up 33 in two days. ... Aaron Baddeley's 6-under 64 is one off his career-best, a 7-under 62 shot in Australia's Tour Championship. ... Baddeley has developed a habit of closing his eyes before every full swing and "daydreaming a shot." ... After finishing 41st on the tour money list last year in his rookie season, Peter Lonard, 35, went home and won the Australian PGA Champion (he shared the title with Jarrod Moseley) and Australian MasterCard Masters. He also captured the Hyundai Team Matches with Rich Beem. ... Chris DiMarco will defend his championship at the Phoenix Open next week. He has won once each of the last three years and is 11th in the world ranking. ... Of the 23 rookies in the field, 11 made it to the weekend.
