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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, October 20, 2006

Fujikawa's 68 leads OCC Invitational

Advertiser Staff

Moanalua sophomore Tadd Fujikawa shot a 3-under-par 68 to take the opening-round lead in the 43rd annual Oahu Country Club Invitational yesterday. Fujikawa had six birdies.

He leads Craig Uyehara and Kevin Shimomura by a shot. Eric Sonnenberg, Peter Olson and Wade Nakamura share fourth at 71.

David Ishikawa also shot 71 to grab a one-stroke lead in the Senior Division. Tom Goodbody is a shot back.

The Senior Division championship concludes today. There will be a cut in the Open Flight after the second round, with the top 30 and ties advancing to tomorrow afternoon's final round.

KIM TIED FOR 60TH

The United States dropped to 12th and Hilo's Kimberly Kim fell deeper into the pack individually yesterday in the second round of the 2006 Women's World Amateur Team Championship in South Africa.

The host team shot 138 (best 2-of-3 scores) to move into first with a 277 total. The U.S. (146-290) dropped into a share of 12th.

Kim, 15, shot a 3-over-par 75 and is tied for 60th individually at 151. First-round leader Rikako Morita is still ahead, at 72-137.

Amanda Blumenhurst, Kim's teammate, is tied for seventh at 3-under 142 after a second straight 71. She is one of only three players with sub-par scores each round. Germany's Katharina Schallenberg, the player Kim beat to win this year's U.S. Women's Amateur, shot 68 to help her team into second.

The South Africans, who had trailed first-round leader Japan by two strokes, tied the championship mark for lowest score after 36 holes. They are trying to become the first team to win the championship on home soil since the USA in 1980.

KIA'AINA SHOOTS 74

Houston's Gordon Johnson fired a 6-under-par 66 to take the first-round lead yesterday at the $285,000 Callaway Golf Senior PGA Professional National Championship, in Port St. Lucie, Fla.

Makaha's Ron Kia'aina shot the best round of the Hawai'i qualifiers, with a 74. Hilo's Rodney Acia and former Aloha Section PGA Player of the Year Dick McClean, who now lives in California, had 75s. Kihei's Dugal Milne and Mike Iyoki of 'Ewa Beach are at 79.

The 264-player field will be cut to the low 70 and ties after today's round. The top 35 finishers at the conclusion of Sunday's final round will earn a berth in the 2007 Senior PGA Championship.

GOING FOR FIVE IN A ROW

Oahu Country Club head professional Andrew Feldmann and partner Larry Stubblefield, an OCC member, will begin defense of their Golf Concepts/E-Z-GO 4-Ball Match Play Championship Monday at OCC.

The tournament is the Aloha Section PGA's last major championship of 2006. Feldmann and Stubblefield defeated Kevin Carll and Kirk Nelson, 2-1, in last year's final to capture their fourth consecutive title.

The tournament has an $8,750 purse and 13-team field.

Monday's qualifying round begins at 1 p.m. and includes a Pro-Am. The first round tees off at 7 a.m. Tuesday, followed by the second round. Semifinals start at 7 a.m. Wednesday, with the final scheduled for noon.