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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, March 27, 2008

GOLF REPORT
Kop, Castillo carry on the family name

 •  Former Hawaii juniors win Heather Farr titles

Advertiser Staff

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Brandan Kop

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Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Lori Castillo

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A pair of prolific champions from legendary golf families have been named the 2008 inductees into the Hawai'i Golf Hall of Fame.

Brandan Kop and Lori Castillo, golfers with more than 50 local, national and international championships between them, are the 61st and 62nd members to be voted into the hall, which was established by the Aloha Section PGA in 1988.

The two will be honored at a dinner ceremony April 28 at the Hawai'i Prince Hotel. To reserve a seat, contact the Aloha Section PGA at 593-2230.

Kop is the third generation of his family to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. His grandfather, Guinea Kop, was among the inaugural inductees in 1988, and his uncle, Wendell, followed in 1994. Castillo is the second member of her family to be so honored. Father Ron Castillo was inducted in 1994.

A life-long amateur, Kop is best known as a four-time winner of the Manoa Cup, symbolic of the Hawai'i State Amateur Match Play Championship. While attending the University of Hawai'i, Kop won the 1981 Western Athletic Conference championship and earned NCAA All-America honorable mention honors. In addition to winning numerous local titles, he built a successful career as a distributor of golf equipment and apparel.

Castillo is the only Hawai'i golfer to win three USGA national championships, and one of only two golfers who have ever held two USGA titles at the same time; Jack Nicklaus is the other. She captured the 1974 Junior World Championship and four years later won the USGA Junior Girls. Castillo followed by winning the 1979 USGA Women's Amateur Public Links, then repeated in 1980. A former LPGA Class A Teaching and Club Pro, she now works as a realtor on Maui and is again an amateur.

HAUGH LEAVES TENNIS FOR ALOHA SECTION PGA

Jim Haugh, the man who instigated Tennis Weekend in Hawai'i more than two decades ago, is taking his sports management and marketing talents to what he calls "Hawai'i's No. 1 sports industry ... the great game of golf." Haugh, who moved back here three years ago, took over as executive director of the Aloha Section PGA last week.

"Jim's 40-year business background in national and international sports management/administration, event management, facility operations, business development and government enterprises with several high profile organizations ... will be a welcome addition to our team," said section president Matt Hall.

A former USPTA tennis teaching professional, Haugh coached at all levels, including five years at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Fla. That position was offered after Haugh brought Bollettieri to Hawai'i for one of the first Tennis Weekends. That event, which celebrates its 22nd year in October, brings together all the different facets of the game.

Haugh, who was recreation director for the U.S. Army Hawai'i MWR here, moved on to become a senior vice president for EMIT Technologies, director of operations for IMG Sports Academy and president and CEO of the Seattle/King County Sports and Events Council. His wife, Janie, is a nurse at Tripler Army Medical Center.

The section has members and apprentices. It is one of 41 sections of the Professional Golfers' Association of America.

WIE TO PLAY IN LPGA'S MICHELOB ULTRA OPEN

Hawai'i's Michelle Wie has accepted a sponsor's exemption to play in the $2.2 million Michelob Ultra Open, May 8 to 11 at Kingsmill, in Williamsburg, Va. Wie tied for 12th at the 2004 Michelob, competing as a 14-year-old amateur.

Wie was supposed to make her second LPGA start this week after receiving an exemption to the Safeway International in Arizona. She turned down the invitation last week after re-injuring her wrist, according to her agent. Safeway recently announced it will no longer sponsor the Arizona event so it can focus on its Oregon LPGA stop.

The LPGA is trying to negotiate a new deal with the Fields Open in Hawai'i. The tour's second full-field event of the season, at Ko Olina Golf Club, just came to the end of its initial three-year contract. The event is looking for a new sponsor and site, but volunteers were told that it would be back in Hawai'i.

BIG ISLAND CANDIES SCOTCH 4-BALL SET

The Big Island Candies Scotch 4-Ball Championship, the Aloha Section PGA's first major of the year, will be played Sunday and Monday at The Club at Hokuli'a.

Mark Morrison, of Swing & Play the Easy Way, and Makalei's Kyle Herzberg shot 4-under-par 68 in the final-round alternate-shot format last year to win the championship. They opened with 71 in the first day's best-ball format. Matt Pakkala (Mililani) and Kirk Nelson (Makena) came in second and brothers Michael and Ron Castillo Jr. were third.

This year, 26 teams will play for a $13,500 purse, with the winners getting $3,500 and points toward Governor's Cup selection and Aloha Section PGA Player of the Year.

NOTES

Devi Sunahara and Marcie Rudich shot 62 to capture A Flight honors last week at the Kapolei Women's Golf Club 2008 Better Ball Tournament at Kapolei Golf Course. Kula Akiu and Susan Church (60) won B Flight, Gloria Alivado and Gail Tandal (59) C Flight and Winifred Jones and Mele Wilson (59) D Flight.

Hawai'i's Marissa Chow won her division in the International Junior Golf Tour's Tribute Golf Club Tournament this month in Texas. Chow had rounds of 76-79 to capture the Girls' 11-14 division. Michael Fan (82-81) took second in Boys' 13-15. Both received exemptions based on performance in the 2007 Hawai'i State Junior Golf Association Points Standings.

HSJGA member Cory Oride, from Lihu'e, won the Boys' 16-19 age division at the IJGT's Wigwam Resort and Spa tournament last weekend in Phoenix, Ariz. Oride closed with a 67 after an opening-round 76. Michael Fan finished 12th in the Boys' 13-15 with rounds of 84-80. Kelli Oride (75-77) took fifth, competing in Girls' 15-19.