The gallery of more than 200 responded with laughter and cheers, and then watched as the team of Retief Goosen and Kamehameha senior Mari Chun won the First Hawaiian Bank's Pro-Junior Golf Challenge by shooting even par in the six-hole, alternate-ball format.

They won by a stroke over Fred Funk and Kellen Watabu, a Kaua'i High School junior who won the 2004 title with Jerry Kelly.

Scott Simpson and 13-year-old Kimberly Kim tied for third at 2-over par with Tom Lehman and Jacob Low of Hilo, and Sandler and Wie. Kelly and Sean Maekawa of Honoka'a finished at 4-over.

Chun, who will be attending Stanford next year on a golf scholarship, won the title with her mom, Lani, as caddy.

"It's very special," Mari said. "I'm a family person. It's great to have my family here with me."

Lani Chun said her daughter wanted to perform well in her final pro-junior tournament.

"She really wanted to win," Lani said. "When she got Retief in the draw, she was like, 'Yes! I'm going to learn so much from him.' "

One of Chun's best shots came on the opening hole, the par-4 10th, when she hit the ball out of a front-side bunker to within a few feet of the pin. Goosen sank the putt for a birdie.

"She's unbelievable," Goosen said of Chun. "She has a very good golf swing. She never missed a shot out there. Every drive went down the middle of the fairway and every iron shot went straight. She has a lot of potential."

After parring the next four holes, Goosen and Chun started the final hole, the par-5 18th, with a one-stroke lead over Lehman and Low.

Chun missed her par putt, but Lehman and Low finished with a double bogey, giving Chun and Goosen the title.

"He has such a great touch," Chun said of Goosen. "He pretty much pulled the team. I just kept the ball in play."

As for Wie and Sandler, they made for an interesting and popular tandem. Between giggles yesterday, Wie called Sandler "so funny and great."

"I just think she's a very nice girl," said Sandler, who befriended the Punahou School 10th grader at the 2003 Sony Open Pro-Am when Wie asked the actor for his autograph. "She's got an amazing swing and works harder than any young person I've ever met in my life. It's just fun to hang out with her."

Sandler played yesterday despite an injured right foot. He was accompanied by fellow actors Peter Dante and Rob Schneider during the round.

"His foot was killing him, so I told him, I'll carry the bag, you just play as well as you can because Michelle will cover for you," Dante said. "We love our partner Michelle Wie. She's the best."

As for Schneider, his job was more creative. He served as Sandler's master motivator.

"I'm here to yell, 'you can do it!' right before he swings," Schneider said.

Notes

Retief Goosen donated his $5,000 winner's check to the American Red Cross to help the victims of the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunamis. The four other pros and Sandler each donated their $1,600 checks to the Hawai'i State Junior Golf Association. "These guys are class acts," said Greg Nichols, the Ko Olina director of golf and the announcer at yesterday's event. "They enjoy doing it, it's fun and they know it goes back to junior golf." First Hawaiian Bank donated $12,000 to HSJGA.