Barbers Point tourney starts today

Golfers tee off today in the Barbers Point Invitational. One of the year’s biggest amateur events turned into a Kauai shootout last year, with Jonathan Ota beating Cory Oride by two.

Both are back and Ota opens his defense at 11:52 a.m. The B flight begins at 7 a.m., followed by the A flight. Four women, including Nicole Sakamoto, will play in the inaugural Ladies Flight.

The championship flight goes out first on Friday. The field will be cut for Saturday’s final round.

Manoa Cup champ Jared Sawada is playing, along with Richard Hattori, the man he beat in the final. Others in the championship flight include former champions Brandan Kop, Alika Bell, Todd Rego and Matt Ma.

Hoakalei to host Els for Autism Challenge

Hoakalei Country Club, designed by Ernie Els, will host one of approximately 20 Super Regional events in the Els for Autism Golf Challenge. The Oahu event will be July 18.

A portion of the funds raised here will be used to develop the Els GameON Autism Youth Golf Clinics on Oahu. Funds will also be used to support the creation of the Els Center of Excellence, a state-of-the-art school for children on the autism spectrum ages 3-21.

The Challenge series raised $4 million its first two years. The format is two-person teams and the cost is $400 per player. Teams can register at e4aGolf.com. Winners advance to a series finale in Las Vegas in October.

The lowest netting team will earn a $6,500 credit toward the Golf Challenge Grand Finale. Every team that raises $13,000 or more will qualify to go to Las Vegas, where major prizes will include trips to Africa, South America and England.

In other Hoakalei news, Campbell High School was the recipient of a $10,000 check from the club, which made the donation with proceeds from the fifth annual Els Hoakalei Cup charitable golf tournament.

Notes

» Moanalua High graduate Tadd Fujikawa is tied for 122nd place after shooting a 5-over 76 on Wednesday in the Southern Open in Kannapolis, N.C., an eGolf Tour stop.

Fujikawa is 12 shots behind the leader, Brandon Cobb of Louisville, Ga., who fired a 64.

» The Chaminade Athletics Golf Tournament will be Aug. 5 at Olomana Golf Links. The cost is $150 per person or $400 for a three-person team. For more information, email annie.tangonan@chaminade.edu or call 735-4790.

» Registration is open for Ka‘anapali’s regional qualifier for the BMW Ultimate Golf Challenge, Sept. 5-7. The top two in each flight advance to the U.S. finals at Pinehurst, N.C., in October. Register online at kaanapaligolfcourses.com/bmw.

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