The Punahou sophomore will be the only amateur in a field of 132 that tees off at the Palmer Course. Wie received a sponsor's exemption from SBS soon after this inaugural tournament was announced. She is possibly the most noteworthy in a field of notoriously noteworthy golfers gathered on the North Shore.

In Grace Park, Lorena Ochoa, Meg Mallon and Cristie Kerr, four of last year's top-five money winners are here. Annika Sorenstam is the exception. Three of the LPGA's top-five career money winners are also here, in Juli Inkster, Mallon and Beth Daniel. All but six of the top 30 money winners from last year will play, with Karrie Webb, Se Ri Pak and Lorie Kane among the missing.

Former University of Hawai'i golfer Cindy Rarick is back where she captured her first of five LPGA victories. Rarick won the Tsumura Hawaiian Ladies Open at Turtle Bay's Fazio Course in 1987. She was the tour's Most Improved Player that year.

Rarick is "thrilled" the LPGA is returning to the North Shore this year.

"It will be a very interesting field and we're all excited because it's the first event of the year," she said. "There are so many young stars and established players here. Even without Annika the field is incredible with Michelle, Lorena and Grace, and Beth and Meg and the rookies."

Rarick has won more than $2 million as she begins her 21st year. Her caddy this week will be Waikoloa Director of Golf Dave Pritchett. Yesterday, Waikoloa Beach Resort announced that Rarick would begin her second decade as its representative.

This year, Rarick came to Hawai'i a week early to "watch whales and work on my game," along with grazing on the sashimi, kim chee, kalbi and shoyu chicken she misses so much on the Mainland. Next year, she hopes to be here two weeks for tournaments. Rarick says Waikoloa is working to bring a second LPGA event to Hawai'i.

NOTES

Monday qualifying: Naree Song and Natalie Tucker qualified Monday after shooting 1-under-par 71, then winning a three-way playoff with Michelle Simpson. Honolulu's Mari Chun (77) and Stephanie Kono (78) missed out.

Sister act: Naree Song and sister Aree are the first set of twins to play on the LPGA tour. Natalie Tucker, 26, won the RE/MAX Long Drive Contest last year on the Futures Tour. Naree Song and Tucker hold non-exempt status on the tour. Aree Song finished second at last year's Kraft Nabisco Championship, and was runner-up to Shi Hyun Ahn for Rookie of the Year.

By the numbers: Play is scheduled to conclude at 4 p.m. each day, with the final threesome teeing off around 11:15 a.m. Saturday.

About the sponsor: SBS, or Seoul Broadcasting System, was the first to broadcast TV programs in high definition in Korea. The network's programming reaches nearly all the Korean population. SBS owns and operates one TV station, two radio stations, three able TV channels and three satellite TV channels. Other business subsidiaries and interests include a professional basketball franchise and a production and distribution company.