Kauai’s Mary Bea Porter-King, a member of the Hawaii Golf Hall of Fame and co-founder of the Hawaii State Junior Golf Association, has been named recipient of the 2011 PGA First Lady of Golf Award. Barbara Nicklaus was the inaugural winner in 1998. Others honored over the years include Nancy Lopez, Judy Rankin and Kathy Whitworth.

Porter-King, 61, will be recognized at the PGA of America Awards in January, in Florida. The honor is presented to a woman who has “made significant contributions to the promotion of the game of golf.”

“Mary Bea Porter-King’s remarkable career of service to our game is on display within her home state in a junior golf program that has produced countless success stories, and is a model for how our industry may improve the future of so many young people,” said PGA of America president Allen Wronowski in a news release.

The four-sport collegiate athlete grew up in Costa Mesa, Calif. She started golfing at age 7, mentored by LPGA co-founder Betty Hicks. Porter-King was medalist at the 1973 LPGA Tour Qualifying School and won the Golf Inns of America Classic in 1975.

Her most memorable LPGA moment came in 1988 when she rescued 3-year-old Jonathan Smucker during a qualifying round in Phoenix. Smucker had fallen into a swimming pool at a home on the 13th hole. Porter-King went over the fence and administered CPR, saving Smucker’s life.

That year she became the first recipient of the Metropolitan Golf Writers Association Mary Bea Porter Humanitarian Award, honoring a heroic or humanitarian act that enhances human life. The same association presented Porter-King this year with its MGWA Distinguished Service Award.

She moved to Kapaa after marrying Charlie King and helped start the HSJGA in 1998. It now draws 500 members annually. Graduates include Michelle Wie, Tadd Fujikawa, Stephanie Kono and Kimberly Kim.

As a member of the PGA rules committee, she has officiated for nearly two decades at golf’s premier events, including all the men’s and women’s major championships.

“I am very humbled by this honor, first to be honored by the PGA of America, an organization I have revered all my life, and secondly, it is so special to have my name listed with all of the previous honorees, women of whom I have so much respect,” said Porter-King in a release. “I love this game and have spoken for many years to encourage all of us, the PGA, LPGA, and USGA, to combine efforts to develop the next core golfers.

“All of us who love the game need to do everything we can to make sure all future generations who are given the gift of golf understand, play by, and protect the core values of the game while maintaining its integrity. It is so important we all work together to develop the next core golfer to ensure that the future of the game is in good hands.”

Kua gets WAC honor

Kauai’s TJ Kua, a senior at the University of Hawaii, was named the Western Athletic Conference golfer of the month for October after capturing his first career collegiate title.

Kua, a Kamehameha graduate, tied for fourth at the Wolf Pack Classic in October. He followed that with a win at the Kauai Collegiate Invitational, shooting a career-best 14-under-par 202 (69-67-66). It was the first individual title for a Hawaii golfer since Damien Jamila captured the 1992 Fresno Lexus Classic.

Kua, the 2009 Manoa Cup champ, ended the month with a WAC-best 70.0 stroke average.

Fujikawa among leaders

Hawaii’s Tadd Fujikawa finished fourth at last week’s NGA Pro Golf Tour Carolina Winter Series stop at Conway, S.C. Fujikawa shot 70-73-69 and won $1,400.

The 2009 Moanalua graduate is playing at Calabash, N.C., this week and moved into second place Wednesday with a 2-under 70 at Brunswick Plantation. Going into today’s final round, he is two shots off the lead with a total of 3-under 141.

Delay in reopening

Princeville’s Prince Golf Course has pushed back its reopening date from December to March 1. The Prince, ranked as one of the top 100 courses in the U.S. by Golf Digest, has been closed since January for an extensive renovation.

Heritage Links is managing the course renovation work and will manage golf and club operations when the course reopens.

Notes

» Golf writer Dick Mudry will be a guest on the Emily T. GailShow on Sunday at 6 p.m. on 790-AM in Kona and 850-AM in Hilo.