Kapalua field has room for 2 more champs
With less than a month left on the PGA Tour schedule, 35 golfers have qualified for the season-opening Hyundai Tournament of Champions. It is Jan. 4-7 at the Plantation Course at Kapalua Resort. Steve Stricker is defending champion.
Players have two chances left to qualify, with the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions next week and the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Classic at Disney, Nov. 8-11.
Only six golfers have won multiple events this year — FedEx champion Brandt Snedeker, Hunter Mahan, Jason Dufner, Rory McIlroy, Tiger Woods and Zach Johnson. Other Hyundai qualifiers include Sony Open in Hawaii champion Johnson Wagner, former Sony and TOC champ Ernie Els, Masters champ Bubba Watson, Keegan Bradley, Nick Watney, Matt Kuchar, Luke Donald and Sergio Garcia, who won at Kapalua in 2002.
Justin Rose, ranked fifth in the world, got to Kapalua with a win in March at the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship. He was also runner-up to Snedeker at the Tour Championship, captured a pivotal win over Phil Mickelson to help Europe claim the Ryder Cup and just won the Turkish Airlines World Golf Final.
He is ready for Kapalua.
"The whole place is easy for us to be," said Rose. "I did a little snorkeling last time I was there even though I’m a little timid of the ocean. I saw a huge turtle swimming. The tournament is a great challenge with it being a tournament of champions, but there is magic all around that week on and off the course."
Players have until December to officially commit. Tickets are on sale now and limited Pro-Am spots available. For more information, visit pgatour.com/hyundai or call 808-665-9160.
Hawaii golfers fighting for PGA membership
Honolulu’s Tadd Fujikawa fired a 3-over-par 73 in the opening round of the PGA Tour First Stage qualifying event in Florence, S.C., Wednesday. The Moanalua graduate is tied for 54th in a field of 72. The top 17 and ties advance after Saturday’s final round.
At Beaumont, Calif., Maui’s Sam Cyr has a share of eighth after a first-round 69. There are 75 players at the site and the top 18 and ties move to Second Stage.
Leilehua graduate Kevin Warrick is tied for 41st halfway through at Pensacola, Fla. Warrick opened with a 1-under 69 Tuesday and shot 71 Wednesday. The top 18 and ties — in a field of 75 — after Friday’s final round advance.
Wie takes her game to Taiwan this week
Michelle Wie, who has dropped to No. 52 in the Rolex World Rankings this year, is playing in this week’s third event of the LPGA’s fall Asian swing, the Sunrise LPGA Taiwan Championship. A field of 74 professionals and four amateurs tee off today in the $2 million, no-cut event.
This is Wie’s first trip to Taiwan and she spoke to the media with a few words in Mandarin Chinese, inspiring a round of applause.
"I’m really looking forward to all of the Taiwanese fans," the Punahou graduate said. "I hear a lot of people come to the event. I’m looking forward to seeing all of the fans at the course. More importantly I’m excited for all of the yummy foods here. So I’m excited for this week."
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Ann Miller, Star-Advertiser
