Charities share $1 million raised by Sony Open

More than 170 Hawaii charities will share $1 million raised by this year’s Sony Open in Hawaii. Friends of Hawaii Charities is distributing the grants today to the not-for-profit organizations that operate programs for Hawaii’s children, women, elderly and impoverished.

The Sony Open "Drive to a $Million" charity effort was supplemented by The Friends Club membership donations. The goal was achieved because of the longtime charity partnership of The Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, Inc., which matched funds raised at the golf tournament.

Friends of Hawaii Charities and the Weinberg Foundation have distributed more than $13 million to charities since 1998.

Aloha Golf Tour tees off

Hawaii golf pros Sam Rodriguez III and Alvin Okada are introducing the Aloha Golf Tour this month, with the debut scheduled June 24-25 at Makaha Valley.

The tour has three more events scheduled in August across Oahu.

"There will be definite growing pains for our tour," Rodriguez said. "In the end, I want to offer an opportunity to challenge the best players in Hawaii while helping them develop the skills to play in the big show."

Tournaments are planned for 36 holes and open to golfers with a GHIN index of 2.0 or less. Entry fee is $350 for professionals and $300 for amateurs. There is a minimum of 12 players per tournament.

For more information, contact Rodriguez at 808-384-7369 or thealohagolf tour@gmail.com.

Chatting with ‘B-Choy’

The Symetra Tour’s website this week has a "Quick 18" Q and A with Leilehua graduate Britney Choy, the 2004 state high school champion.

Along with her love of food — including shrimp heads — "B-Choy" also talks about her ukulele and favorite animal:

"It would be a dolphin … even though it is a mammal," Choy said. "I would want to be a dolphin because they are friendly and playful, yet they can be aggressive and protective when needed."

Choy is scheduled to play her ukulele at this week’s Decatur-Forsyth Classic Pro-Am party in Illinois. Choy, whose highest Symetra career finish is 11th, is an alternate this week. Sacred Hearts and Roosevelt grads Ayaka Kaneko and Xyra Suyetsugu are playing.

Notes

» Punahou graduate Julie Brooks was the Big West’s Co-Coach of the Year, her third coaching honor since 2007. Her UC Irvine team had three top-three finishes this year and never finished lower than sixth.

» Michelle Wie’s ninth-place finish in last week’s Wegman’s LPGA Championship moved her up to 11th in the Solheim Cup standings. Double points were available at the year’s second major, and the Punahou graduate picked up 39, giving her a total of 151.5, just behind Morgan Pressel (158.5), who tied for third Sunday.

The top eight make the American team, with the next two coming off the Rolex World Rankings. The final two are captain’s picks by Meg Mallon.