Appleby scheduled to defend Mercedes title
Advertiser Staff
Nine of the top 11 players in the World Golf Rankings are expected to play in the season-opening Mercedes Championships at Kapalua's Plantation Course. The tournament, open to all 2004 PGA Tour champions, will be Jan. 6 to 9.
There were 32 winners this season. Stuart Appleby will defend his Mercedes title. Ernie Els, who has won the past two Sony Open in Hawai'i tournaments and the 2003 Mercedes, is also expected back.
Others expected on Maui are Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh, John Daly, Tiger Woods, Sergio Garcia and Retief Goosen.
On Maui, tickets can be purchased at the Kapalua Resort golf shops, Honolua Store and The Logo Shop. Tickets are also available at Lahaina Cannery Mall's Honolua Surf Company, the Queen Ka'ahumanu Center Information Booth and the J. Walter Cameron Center office.
For phone orders, call Ticketmaster toll free (877-750-4400) or visit pgatour.com or ticketmaster.com.
Sony Open in Hawai'i tickets go on sale
The 2005 Sony Open will be Jan. 13 to 16 at Waialae Country Club. Tickets can be purchased at First Hawaiian Banks on O'ahu. Advance sales are $10 daily. The price at the gate is $15.
A $50 season ticket badge, good for the Pro-Am and four tournament days, goes on sale Dec. 13 at First Hawaiian. The badge also comes with a visor and autograph pen, along with dining certificates.
Tournament information is available at 523-7888.
Hualalai leads Hawai'i golf resorts on list
Hawai'i's Four Seasons Resort at Hualalai and The Lodge at Koele/Manele Bay made their way into the Top 10 of Golf Digest's "Sublime 75 Best Golf Resorts in North America." The list is in the November issue.
Hualalai on the Big Island, site of the Champions Tour MasterCard Championship, is ranked seventh. The Lana'i resort came in eighth.
Other Hawai'i resorts honored are Kapalua (19), Mauna Lani (24), Princeville (29), Mauna Kea (31), Hyatt Regency Kaua'i (32), Grand Wailea (33), Kaua'i Marriott (50), Waikoloa Beach (59) and Maui Prince/ Makena (61).
Editors polled 800 low-handicap golfers and course experts for the list, getting opinions on lodging, dining and golf. Pebble Beach is No. 1.
Waiehu hosts benefit
The Waiehu Golf Course will host an Ice Cream and Soda Pop golf tournament for Maui's junior golfers from ages 7 to 18 starting at noon on Dec. 20.
The entry fee is $5 and limited to the first 120 youngsters. For details, call Art Rego Jr. at (808) 244-5934.
The tournament is sponsored by the Waiehu Golf Shop, Sand Trap Restaurant and Maui Soda Company.
