While the PGA Tour season kicks off today on Maui with the Mercedes-Benz Championship, the first full-field event of the year is next week's Sony Open in Hawai'i, Jan. 15 to 18. All the previous Sony champions will be at Waialae Country Club, along with Hawai'i's Dean Wilson, Parker McLachlin, John Lynch and Lorens Chan.

K.J. Choi is defending champion. Choi took a four-shot lead into the final round last year and came out three ahead of Rory Sabbatini and four up on 2002 champion Jerry Kelly. Choi's final round of 1-over-par 71 was his worst score of the week by five shots; he had 17 birdies the first three days.

This year, McLachlin has extra incentive to do well early. He will donate $50 for each birdie on the "West Coast Swing" to the Hawai'i State Junior Golf Association. Sponsor Waikoloa Beach Resort will match him. McLachlin hopes to get other businesses and friends to donate through the hsjga.org Web site.

The "Swing" is made up of Mercedes, Sony, the FBR Open, Buick Invitational, AT&T Pebble Beach and Northern Trust Open. McLachlin's goal is to "make sure the juniors now have the same and hopefully better resources and opportunities than I had."

Sony spectators will be able to take a 10-minute lesson with an Aloha Section PGA professional on tournament days, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The one-on-one lessons will be in the Spectator Village near the 11th and 17th holes. Those wishing to get a quick introduction to the game or evaluate their swing can sign up for a convenient time to stop by the two inflatable hitting cages.

Teachers will include 2008 Golf Professional of the Year Scott Ashworth and Teacher of the Year Claude Brousseau.

Reservations can be made at the tent. For more information or to sign up in advance, please contact Aloha Section (593-2230).

Former HSJGA member Tadd Fujikawa will attempt to qualify for Sony this year. The Moanalua High School senior, who finished 20th at Sony two years ago, will be at the prequalifier Sunday at Turtle Bay's Palmer Course. The top 50 and ties advance to Open Qualifying with PGA Tour members the next day at the same site. The top four get into the tournament.

Aloha Petroleum Ltd. announced Monday that it would continue its sponsorship of Fujikawa for a second year.

"Last year, we proudly became Tadd's very first corporate sponsor, and we are pleased to continue our support into '09 for this fine young man who makes all Hawai'i proud," Chief Executive Officer Richard Parry said in a statement.

Fujikawa became the youngest golfer in 50 years to make the cut at a PGA Tour event two years ago and turned pro a few months later because, as an amateur, he could not afford to travel to tournaments to compete against top talent. His first victory as a professional came in April, when he became the youngest golfer in history to win the Mid-Pacific Open.

"Aloha Petroleum stepped forward to become Tadd's first corporate sponsor because we wanted to help make his dream of becoming a top golf pro come true, and to encourage Hawai'i's youth to strive for their highest goals," Parry said. "We continue to believe in Tadd's dream, and in the ability of Hawai'i's young people to achieve great things."

The Champions Tour unofficially opens next weekend (Jan. 17 and 18) when the 22nd Wendy's Champions Skins Game will be played at Maui's Royal Ka'anapali Course. Teams in the alternate-shot format are defending champions Fuzzy Zoeller and Peter Jacobsen, Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson, Greg Norman and Jay Haas, and Bernhard Langer and Gary Player.

The senior tour officially opens Jan. 23 to 25 on the Big Island, with the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai.

ON-AIR PROGRAMMING

Monday's "Golf Hawai'i" show on The Golf Channel will include Mark Rolfing's interview with Punahou graduate Parker McLachlin, who is playing in his first Mercedes-Benz Championship this week. Waikoloa's Touring Professional will visit the Big Island.

The "Going for the Green" segment looks at the 2008 Players Championship playoff and water resource protection, and the topic of Mark's View is the PGA Tour's 2008 Player of the Year selection of Padraig Harrington.

The premier will be shown at 2:30 p.m. Monday, with repeats at 9:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, 10 a.m. Wednesday and 7:30 a.m. next Sunday.

On the radio Sunday from 5 to 6 p.m., "Emily T Gail Talks Golf" will feature Kelly Fliear, tournament manager of the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai. The show will be on ESPN Radio AM850 Hilo and AM790 Kona.