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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, October 18, 2007

GOLF REPORT
Kim returns for Hawaii-Japan Cup

 •  Wie's wonderful world was lost in rough 2007

Advertiser Staff

2006 Hawai'i golf calendar
See a listing of all Hawai'i golf events this year.

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Hilo's Kimberly Kim is coming home to play in the inaugural USA Hawai'i-Japan Junior Cup next month at Waikoloa Kings'. The tournament is organized by the Hawai'i State Junior Golf Association and Japan High School Golf Association, and presented by Hilton Grand Vacations Club.

Kim, the 2006 U.S. Women's Amateur Champion, joins the Hawai'i team as a sponsor's exemption. The 16-year-old moved to the Mainland before her freshman year at Waiakea.

Each team will have 13 boys and nine girls, and is allowed two sponsor's exemptions (one boy and girl). Mixed (coed) teams will play the first two days in Four-Ball and Foursomes formats. The final round of the Ryder-Cup style competition will feature 22 singles matches.

Matches are intended to become an annual fundraising event for local charities, including American Cancer Society, Waikoloa Foundation and both junior associations.

"We are very excited to provide our very best juniors in Hawai'i with this great opportunity to compete against the very best juniors in Japan, plus it will be nice to have Kimberly Kim back home in Hawai'i playing with her peers," said HSJGA President Mary Bea Porter-King. "I have just been informed that the Japan players are just as fired up about these matches as our Hawai'i players, so I look forward to some great golf and healthy competition."

Hawai'i team members are: Zakry Akagi-Bustin, Alika Bell, Pono Calip, Alex Ching, Alex Chu, Kelii Dias, David Fink, Bou-An Fujieki, Taeksoo Kim, John-David Nako, Henry Park, Jared Sawada, Cassy Isagawa, Anna Jang, Kimberly Kim, Kristina Merkle, Elyse Okada, Cyd Okino, Kelli Oride, Tamara Surtees, Ethan Wang and Britney Yada.

USA Hawai'i-Japan Junior Cup week begins Nov. 8 with a junior-amateur tournament, pairing four-member amateur teams with one junior. That will be followed by opening ceremonies. Amateur spots are available at $300 per person, with a portion going to American Cancer Society.

ALOHA SECTION PGA

Oahu Country Club head pro Andrew Feldmann and OCC member Larry Stubblefield will try to win their sixth straight Golf Concepts/E-Z-GO Four-Ball Match Play Championship next week. The final major of the Aloha Section PGA season begins Monday afternoon at OCC with qualifying and the Pro-Am.

The first and second rounds are Tuesday, with the semifinals at 7 a.m. Wednesday, followed by the final at noon. Matches are scheduled for 18 holes. Format is four-ball stroke play.

Last year, Feldmann and Stubblefield defeated Mike Iyoki and Ron Kia'aina, 4-3, in the final.

The tournament has a purse of $8,650, with the winning team getting $3,250 and points towards Governor's Cup selection and Section Player of the Year.

OCC INVITATIONAL

Tadd Fujikawa, a 16-year-old professional, will not be able to defend his title at the 44th annual Oahu Country Club Men's Invitational, which begins this morning in Nu'uanu.

The amateur event has 60 golfers in the Open Division and 30 in Seniors (55-older). The field will be cut to the low 30 and ties after tomorrow's second round. Seniors play just 36 holes. The first two rounds begin at 7 a.m., with Saturday's final round starting at 11 a.m.

Fujikawa closed with a 68 last year to edge Kevin Shimomura. This year's field includes 2006 Manoa Cup champion Jonathan Ota, four-time Manoa Cup champion Brandan Kop — the 1998 OCC winner, 2005 champion Blaine Kimura, Alex Ching, Lorens Chan and Craig Uyehara.

Wendell Kop, the winner in 1986 and '89, is in the Senior Division, along with 2003 champion Mervin Matsumoto.

JUNIORS PROGRAM

The Introductory and Developmental Program put on by Aloha Section PGA and Hawai'i State Junior Golf Association continues Saturday at Ko'olau Golf Club and Kona Country Club. The program is designed to "introduce the game to juniors, convert them to junior golfers and help develop the skills of existing junior golfers who are members of the HSJGA."

Introductory clinics are free and open to the public. Developmental clinics, which begin next year, are also free but open only to HSJGA members. Beginning juniors who take part in introductory clinics and enroll in the HSJGA can attend Developmental clinics.

All clinics are 2 hours on Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to noon.

The introductory schedule for the rest of the year:

Oct. 27—Elleaire Maui; Nov. 3—Princeville Makai and Hilo Muni; Nov. 10—Hawai'i Kai; Nov. 17—Ko Olina, Waikoloa Village and Kaua'i Lagoons.

Registration is available at 532-0559 or www.hsjga.org.

LOOKOUT OVER HONOLUA

"Lookout over Honolua Bay" is a new viewing pavilion that will offer premium seating behind the 11th tee of The Plantation Course and a unique view of The Mercedes-Benz Championship. The PGA Tour's season-opening event features champions from the previous year and will be Jan. 3 to 6 at Kapalua.

The viewing pavilion debuts at the Jan. 2 Pro-Am. The site features panoramic views of the 11th tee and green, 10th green, and 14th tee against the spectacular backdrop of Honolua Bay. Seating is limited to 250 spectators; tickets for the pavilion are on sale now for $225 per person.

"Premium seating at The Lookout is an ideal opportunity for spectators to be at the forefront of the tournament action in 2008," said Gary Planos, Kapalua Resort's tournament chairman and senior vice president of resort operations. "Because the new viewing pavilion is located behind the par-3 11th tee, guests also have a perfect opportunity to watch the golf pros compete to make a hole-in-one for the prize of a brand new, special edition 2008 Mercedes-Benz CLS550."

In addition to the hole-in-one prize on the 11th, golf professionals also have a chance to win a Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG if they make a hole-in-one at No. 8. Last year, Lucas Glover aced the hole, winning a Mercedes-Benz valued at more than $87,000.

"We have always offered private skybox seating on the 18th hole for tournament sponsors. The Lookout Pavilion now offers premium greenside seating for the general public," said Nancy Cross, Kapalua's tournament director and vice president of events. "Seating at The Lookout will include benefits such as premium food and beverage for sale, covered stadium seating, television viewing and merchandise discounts."

Lookout tickets are $225 per person if purchased before Dec. 31, and $300 after. For more information, contact Ashley Carroll at 808-665-9161 or ashley.carroll@kapalua.com.

The tournament purse is $5.5 million. In January, Vijay Singh won the $1.1 million first prize, along with the traditional Tiffany trophy and a new 2008 Mercedes-Benz CL550.