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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, September 21, 2006

GOLF REPORT
Maui's Miyajima 18th in LPGA qualifying

 •  U.S. has uphill battle to take Ryder Cup from Europeans

Advertiser Staff

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Maui's Shayna Miyajima dropped into a share of 18th place in yesterday's second round of the LPGA Sectional Qualifying School, at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Calif.

Miyajima, who had sole possession of the lead after a first-round 67, shot a 6-over-par 78 yesterday to drop to 1-over 145. She is five shots out of first, which is shared by Lisa Meldrum (66), Taya Battistella (67) and Su A Kim (68). Those three had the day's best rounds.

Kailua's Bridget Dwyer made the cut on the number. Her 74 gave her a 150 total and a share of 70th. The top 70 and ties play the final two days.

The top 30 and ties after Sunday's final round advance to the LPGA's Final Qualifying Tournament in November.

WAIKOLOA AMATEUR TEES OFF TOMORROW

The second year of the Waikoloa Amateur Championship, formerly the Waikoloa Open, starts tomorrow at Waikoloa Village Golf Club on the Big Island. The 54-hole tournament begins at 7 a.m. each day through Sunday.

The championship flight includes defending champion Henry Park, state high school runner-up Sean Maekawa, William Carvalho, Burt Bonk and Pono Calip. Hawai'i Preparatory Academy junior Tammy Surtees, the Waikoloa qualifier for the U.S. Women's Amateur, is also in the flight.

Joe Phengsavath made the 31st annual Waikoloa Open his first professional victory in 2004. Maekawa, now a Honoka'a senior, won the championship flight that year, with Michelle Wie and Jacob Low tying for second.

The tournament changed to amateurs only last year.

PLANOS QUALIFIES FOR U.S. WOMEN'S MID-AM

Lori Planos shot 80 Saturday to win Hawai'i's U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur Sectional Qualifying event at the Dunes at Maui Lani Golf Course, in Kahului.

Planos, from Kapalua, finished a shot ahead of Kaua'i's Mary Bea Porter-King and three up on Maui's Desiree Ting.

Planos, a three-time USGA champion, will represent Hawai'i in the 20th U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur Championship. It will be Oct. 21 to 26 at Old Waverly Golf Club in West Point, Miss.

Earlier this month, Bev Kim, Michiko Kimura, Nani Paek and Mary Bea Porter-King earned the right to represent Hawai'i at the USGA Senior Women's Championship, Oct. 7 to 12 at Sea Island Golf Course in Georgia.

SENIOR SKINS SAME DATES AS SONY OPEN

Senior golf's Wendy's Champions Skins Game will celebrate its 20th year by returning to Wailea Resort, but the 2007 event is scheduled the same weekend as the Sony Open in Hawai'i (Jan. 13 and 14).

The senior skins will again be played at Wailea's Gold Course. The earlier date means it will be the opening event of the Champions Tour season. The PGA Tour also opens on Maui, with the Mercedes-Benz Championship Jan. 4 to 7 at Kapalua Resort. The LPGA's first full-field event is the SBS Open at Turtle Bay, Feb. 15 to 17.

The senior skins purse will be $770,000, with four two-man teams playing an alternate-shot team format for the second straight year. The eight players, who have not been announced, play nine holes each day.

The senior skins began in 1988 at Turtle Bay and moved to La Quinta, Calif., the following year. It was played the next 11 years at Mauna Lani before moving to Wailea in 2001.

Ray Floyd and senior skins rookie Dana Quigley won last year in the debut of the team format. The $510,000 payday marked the sixth victory for Floyd, but his first since 1998, when he won for the fifth straight time at Mauna Lani. Since turning 50, Floyd has won six of the eight Wendy's Champions Skins Games he has played.

ESPN plans to show the event on a same-day, tape-delayed basis.