On Monday, 12 Hawaii amateurs will play for one spot in the 2012 Sony Open in Hawaii. The golfers tee off starting at 8 a.m. at Waialae Country Club. They earned this chance by qualifying for this year’s Gov. John A. Burns Challenge Cup team. Last month, the Amateurs won their fifth straight cup by defeating the Pro team.
Monday’s field includes ‘Iolani senior Lorens Chan and Brandan Kop, who have already played the Sony. Chan, a two-time state high school champion, is headed to UCLA.
Also playing are Isaac Jaffurs, Skye Inakoshi, Todd Rego, Donny Hopoi, Richard Hattori, Rudy Cabalar Jr., John Oda, Seungjae Maeng, Matt Ma and Kalena Preus. All but Jaffurs, Rego, Ma and Kop are in high school.
This amateur qualifier catapulted Hawaii 16-year-old Tadd Fujikawa to national prominence in 2007. Fujikawa qualified and finished 20th at the Sony, then turned pro a few months later. He was 32nd at Waialae in 2009.
Fujikawa is home for Wednesday’s fourth annual March of Dimes Tadd Fujikawa Invitational. The benefit sold out two months ago. The field was extended to 152 teams this year.
It is expected to raise some $95,000 to fund research into the causes of premature birth. It also helps support local programs such as the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Family Support Program at Kapiolani.
Fujikawa was born prematurely on Jan. 8, 1991, and spent three months in the NICU.
Fujikawa, a Moanalua High School graduate, will defend his Turtle Bay Hawaii State Open Championship, Dec. 16-18, before trying to qualify for the Sony on the Monday before the tournament starts.
Kauai’s Miyata honored
Kauai’s Kenji Miyata is the inaugural recipient of the Hawaii State Junior Golf Association’s Dr. Richard Ho Spirit of the Game Award. Miyata was honored at last weekend’s Hali‘imaile Tournament of Champions at Wailea Emerald.He is a junior on the Kapaa High golf team and has been an HSJGA member five years.
Earlier this year, an anonymous HSJGA family donated a $1,000 scholarship to be awarded annually to one HSJGA junior to help subsidize the expense of tournament travel. Miyata received the scholarship based on the criteria the USGA describes as “The Spirit of the Game.”
The definition in the USGA Rules of Golf says, “All players should conduct themselves in a disciplined manner, demonstrating courtesy and sportsmanship at all times, irrespective of how competitive they may be.”
A selection committee, made up of members of the HSJGA board of directors, staff, tournament volunteers and others, scouted juniors through the season to determine the winner.
The award is named in honor of the late Richard Ho, a former board member of the HSJGA, pediatrician, U.S. Army veteran and golf enthusiast who died in 2009. Ho founded the Hawaii State Golf Association in 1984.
Miyata will travel to the U.S. Junior Masters in Florida this month.
Alex Chiarella (66-70) and Eimi Koga (70-70) won their 15-18 age divisions at the Hali‘imaile TOC by four shots. Other champions were Kyle Suppa (72-70) and Rose Huang (76-75) in 13-14s, Shawn Lu (77-67) and Annika Espino (77-71) in 11-12s, and Taylor John McGerity (76-78) and Aneka Seumanutafa (77-79) in 7-10s.
Keil named top pro
Turtle Bay head pro Larry Keil is the 2011 Aloha Section PGA Golf Professional of the Year and Eddie Lee, head instructor for the David Leadbetter Golf Academy on Maui, is the section’s Teacher of the Year.
Hilo Municipal assistant pro Lance Taketa is the recipient of the Horton Smith and Bill Strausbaugh Awards. Bridgestone Golf’s Del-Marc Fujita was given the section’s Distinguished Service Award and former Hawaii State Golf and Aloha Section director Hal Okita received the President’s Award.
Other award winners are: Kaanapali’sSutee Nitakorn (Junior Golf Leader); Ko Olina’s Travis Joerger (Presidents Plaque); Kapolei’s Darren Sano (Merchandiser of the Year—Public), Kaanapali’s Ed Kageyama (Merchandiser—Resort) and Waialae’s Ray Suzuki (Merchandiser—Private); Pearl’s Regan Lee (Assistant Pro); and Acushnet/Footjoy’s Keith Kodani (Sales Representative).
Ravena Finau dies
Ravena Finau, mother of professional golfers Tony and Gipper Finau, was killed in a car accident in Elko, Nev., last week. The Finaus represent Turtle Bay Resort and the family has close ties on the North Shore.
Ravena Finau was 47.
