Wie will receive 2005 Sony invite
Advertiser Staff
Michelle Wie's invitation to the 2005 Sony Open in Hawai'i is not in the mail, but it is on its way. Sony and tournament organizers are expected to make the official announcement offering her another exemption next week.
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The action has been considered a formality since Wie, a Punahou sophomore, missed the cut by a single shot in January at Waialae Country Club. Wie, then 14, shot 72-68 and tied for 80th at even par, beating out 48 men, including John Cook and Scott Hoch.
Michelle Wie's presence at the 2004 Sony Open in Hawai'i helped boost attendance by 76 percent from the previous year.
Organizers characterized future Wie invitations then as a "no-brainer." She is the first female to shoot a sub-par round in a PGA Tour event. Wie also captivated unusually large weekday galleries and sent television ratings soaring,
"I'd think she'd have a place in the tournament for a few years to come," tournament director Ray Stosik said in January.
Tournament officials won't go on record until the official announcement is made. But by giving the exemption to Wie two months before the tournament, which is Jan. 13 to 16, they say Wie will have more time to practice at Waialae and kick-start ticket sales.
She played at the course 35 times in the two months leading up to last year's Sony.
Her presence, at the rain-shortened Pro-Am and during the first two rounds, helped boost attendance 76 percent from the year before. TV ratings were up a reported 27 percent.
Taketa, Kaneko at assistant pro event
Hilo Muni's Lance Taketa and Waikele's Scotty Kaneko will represent Hawai'i's Aloha Section at the TaylorMade-adidas Golf PGA Assistant Professional Championship, starting today at PGA Golf Club South Course in Port St. Lucie, Fla.
The $100,000 event has a field of 120 from all 41 PGA of America sections, plus Australia, Canada, Great BritainÊand New Zealand. The winner gets $9,000.
Next-to-last Amatour event at Kapolei
Amatour Hawai'i's next-to-last event will be this weekend's Kapolei Challenge. Mark Chun, the tour's 2003 Player of the Year, is defending champion. He is coming off victories in the Barbers Point and Mayor's Cup tournaments.
Earl Medeiros leads the points race for 2004 Player of the Year, followed by Paul Kimura, Shawn Tanoue, Ryan Perez and Craig Uyehara. The top 24 after the season-ending tour championship earn exempt status for next year.
Hayashi, Tanaka will defend at Pro-Scratch
Some 40 teams will play in the $10,000 Bridgestone Sports Pro-Scratch Championship on Monday and Tuesday at Pearl Country Club.
Monday's two-man scramble starts at 11:54 a.m. Tuesday's best-ball tees off from 7:14 a.m. Pros get to pick an amateur partner, who plays with no handicap.
Kevin Hayashi and Elton Tanaka are defending champs.
This year's field includes Norman-Ganin Asao, who won here two years ago as an amateur, and Steven Kira, Dean Dorothy and Randy Shibuya, Andrew Feldmann and Eric Sonnenberg, Shane Hoshino and Matt Kodama, Casey Nakama and Del-Marc Fujita, and Summerset Lovett and Joseph Brewer.
Turtle Bay Amateur set for Nov. 6 and 7
The Turtle Bay Amateur, a weekend of flighted competition for Hawai'i amateurs, will be Nov. 6 and 7 at the resort's Arnold Palmer and George Fazio courses.
Players will compete for $2,000 in gift certificates as well as prizes. A special room rate of $159 is available to participants.
The event is open to golfers with a handicap from the USGA, HSGA, or HJGA. Entry deadline is tomorrow. To register, call 293-8574.
