Junior Erika Lundberg and four underclassmen will try to accomplish what they missed by one shot last year when the University of Hawaii tees off in the Western Athletic Conference women’s golf championship tomorrow to Sunday at Longbow Golf Club, in Mesa, Ariz.

The Rainbow Wahine fell a shot short of San Jose State a year ago. Their second-place finish was their best in history, ahead of third-place finishes in 2007 and 2008.

Kamehameha graduate Ka‘ili Britos was the individual runner-up, earning WAC freshman of the year honors. She and Brigitte Baker are both sophomores now and will join Lundberg and freshmen Anna DePalma and Madeleine Ystrom at this year’s WAC championship. Lundberg tied for 11th last year; Baker, 22nd.

New Mexico State is the highest-ranked WAC team at 57th in the Golfweek/Sagarin ratings.

PGA Classic chips in

The 35th annual PGA Classic will donate proceeds to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Hawaii and Japan Tsunami Relief Fund. The Aloha Section PGA Foundation tournament will be April 29 at Kapolei Golf Course.

PGA professionals will be at the driving range providing free golf tips before the tournament. The silent auction will feature hotel and golf packages, golf equipment, memorabilia and other prizes.There will also be a 2011 PGA Championship package that includes roundtrip air, hotel and tournament passes for two.

Tournament format is a shamble with a six-person team made up of five amateurs and one Aloha Section PGA professional. For information, visit aspga.com or contact the section office at 593-2230.

Notes

» Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama was low amateur at this year’s Masters. Matsuyama, from Sendai, won two matches here in the 2008 USA-Hawaii Japan Junior Cup. The event, now called the Asia Pacific Junior Cup, is similar in format to the Ryder Cup. Matsuyama won his four-ball and singles matches, but lost the mixed team match to Kristina Merkle and Henry Park. Hawaii won that year, 24 1⁄2 to 19 1⁄2.

»The annual Dave Shoji Invitational Golf Tournament, which benefits Rainbow Wahine volleyball, will be May 5 at Kaneohe Klipper. The cost is $200 per player. The format is three-person teams, with two best balls (with adjusted handicap) counting. The registration deadline is May 27. Registration is available online at hawaiiathletics.com. Call 956-2506 for more information.