A Turtle Bay Championship pre-qualifier will be played Sunday at Turtle Bay's Fazio Course. The top five advance to the Champions Tour Monday qualifier the following day on the same course.

The senior tour's first full-field event of 2007 opens Jan. 26 at the Palmer Course. Loren Roberts eagled the last hole last year to beat former Kailua resident Scott Simpson by two. Hale Irwin won the first five Turtle Bay Championships. Hawai'i's David Ishii is in the 78-player field on an exemption. He finished 29th last year.

Today is the deadline to enter the pre-qualifier. The field already includes Hilo Muni's Rodney Acia, Kaua'i's Daniel Nishimoto, Kailua's Larry Stubblefield, Navy-Marine's David Chin — who qualified for last week's Sony Open in Hawai'i — and the U.S. Army's Mike Iyoki.

Ron Kia'aina Jr. earned a place in the Monday qualifier as the Aloha Section PGA Senior Player of the Year. Steve Veriato, who grew up on the Big Island, is also in the Monday qualifier, which could advance up to nine players to the tournament.

Sunday's pre-qualifier and Monday's qualifier begin at 8 a.m.

PGA PRO MACKENZIE TO APPEAR ON 'GOLF HAWAI'I'

Resident PGA Tour free spirit Will MacKenzie will be the feature interview on next week's "Golf Hawai'i" show with Mark Rolfing.

It debuts Monday at 1:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. on The Golf Channel. It re-airs Jan. 24 and 27.

The show will also focus on Mauna Kea Resort, Rolfing's "My View" on Arnold Palmer's retirement from competitive golf, and "Game Faces" with Associated Press golf writer Doug Ferguson.

DEADLINE FOR NAKAMA RETIREMENT PARTY SET

The deadline for Lloyd Nakama's retirement and appreciation golf-and-dinner party has been pushed to Saturday.

The event to honor the longtime director of golf at Olomana Golf Links will be Jan. 29. Golf begins at 7:30 a.m. Format is three-person scramble. The dinner will be that night at the Japanese Cultural Center. Cost is $125 per person. For information, call Casey Nakama (259-7712).