Goosen, Kelly up to Challenge
Advertiser Staff
Retief Goosen, who won his second U.S. Open this year, and former Sony Open in Hawai'i champion Jerry Kelly are the first pros who have committed to play in the 2005 First Hawaiian Bank Pro-Junior Golf Challenge.
Kelly won the Challenge last year with Kaua'i's Kellen Watabu. Kelly has played in all six Sony Opens, with four Top-10 finishes.
The tournament is held on Tuesday of tournament week, which will be Jan. 11 next year. The format pairs six local juniors with six pros.
Of the $25,000 purse, $13,000 is divided among the pros and $12,000 donated to the Hawai'i State Junior Golf Association.
There is no admission charge for the Pro-Junior. For more information, contact the tournament office at 523-7888.
Basketball players in Celebrity Classic
Former University of Hawai'i Fab Five players Dwight Holiday and John Pennebacker will join a field of former NBA players in the inaugural Sports Celebrity Golf Classic. It will be Thursday, Oct. 14, at Luana Hills.
Pro-Am and Sponsor packages are available. Former NBA stars expected to play include Moses Malone, JoJo White, Lucius Allen, Artis Gilmore, Connie Hawkins and Maurice Lucas.
The event is a benefit for local charities assisting at-risk youth, teen parents, low-income households and the homeless.
For information, call 792-9333.
Grand Slam changed to avoid conflicts
The dates of the PGA Grand Slam of Golf at Po'ipu Bay were changed from early December to Nov. 22 to 24 to ensure all four 2004 major champions could attend the event, according to David Charles of the sponsoring PGA of America.
The four are Masters champion Phil Mickelson, U.S. Open winner Retief Goosen, PGA champion Vijay Singh and British Open winner Todd Hamilton.
"We had scheduling conflicts with some of the players," Charles said, "but we were able to quickly find a date that fit all of the players' schedules."
Hokuli'a pro heads back to Arizona
Jason Walter, Club at Hokuli'a's head pro and Aloha Section PGA board member, leaves Sept. 24 to resume his duties at Superstition Mountain Golf and Country Club in Arizona.
His leaving is not a result of the legal problems stalling the Hokuli'a project on the Big Island, Walter said.
"Hokuli'a is alive and well as it continues to work its way through the legal system toward a resolution," he said.
Hokuli'a will continue to host the Mixed Plate Tournament, a fund-raiser for the Hawai'i State Junior Golf Association, and will be the site of the Big Island Candies Scotch Four-Ball Championship next year, Walter said. Sean Cullinan will run Hokuli'a's golf operations.
Note
• Tomorrow is the deadline to enter the annual Marriott Links to Literacy Tournament, Sept. 17 at Ko Olina Golf Club. The event benefits the Hawai'i Library Foundation and raised $85,000 last year. For information, call 837-8069.
