Mark Chun will try to defend his second championship in a week when the Barbers Point Invitational tees off tomorrow at 7 a.m. The 54-hole event ends Sunday afternoon with the field cut in half after Saturday's second round.

Chun defeated Michael Trevino in a playoff last year at Barbers Point. Both finished at 4-under-par 212. Last week, Chun was unsuccessful in retaining his Mayor's Cup title.

Chun and Trevino are playing in the championship flight this year. Also in the field are Moanalua freshman Tadd Fujikawa, who won the Hickam Invitational this year, 2004 Manoa Cup champion Ryan Perez, 2003 state high school champion Troy Higashiyama and OCC Invitational winner Blaine Kimura.

BOTH HILO TEAMS READY TO START NEW SEASON

University of Hawai'i-Hilo's golf teams open their fall season in the next few days. The men, who finished fifth in NCAA Division II last year, play in the St. Martin's Invitational, at Lacey, Wash., beginning tomorrow. The women open their second season Monday at the Grand Canyon University Invitational in Phoenix.

Men's coach Earl Tamiya returns senior Colin Gilliam, who won the Elco, Inc. Intercollegiate last year, lifting the Vulcans to the team title. Gilliam also finished in a tie for fourth at the conference championship. Senior Kevin Shimomura, sixth in the conference, also returns.

Women's coach Jim DeMello returns sophomores Ki'ilani Matsuyoshi, Breena Kadekaru and Kristen Higa, and has brought in Baldwin graduate Jayna Shimomura. Matsuyoshi, from Kapa'a, won a tournament last year and took second in her collegiate debut. The Vulcans tied for second in the conference their first year.Simpson turns 50, ready for Champions

Former Kailua resident Scott Simpson turned 50 Saturday and will make his Champions Tour debut at the SAS Championship next week.

Simpson, the 1987 U.S. Open champion, won seven PGA Tour events.

"I've been told the courses aren't as tough as the PGA Tour, but they're a lot tougher than people think, particularly the last few years," he said. "I know the competition is going to be very tough. I can't wait."