Kua shoots 70 in qualifying

Manoa Cup champs TJ Kua and Jared Sawada are in the top 25 after Wednesday’s first round of the Asian Tour Qualifying School First Stage in Hua Hin, Thailand.

Kua, a Kamehameha and University of Hawaii graduate, fired a 2-under-par 70 and is tied for 13th, three shots off the lead. Sawada, a Moanalua and UH alum, is tied for 22nd after a 71 at the Imperial Lakeview Golf Club.

Hawaii’s Spencer Shishido fired a 73 and shares 39th. UH graduate Corey Oride had a 79.

The 72-hole tournament ends Saturday. The second section of the First Stage is next week. The top 15 percent from each venue qualify for the Final Stage (Feb. 12-15). Those who finish in the top 40 there earn a card for the 2014 Asian Tour, which has approximately 26 stops.

Maui’s Sam Cyr was 42nd on last year’s Order of Merit, winning $97,000 in 12 events. Former high school champion Chan Kim, the Q-School medalist last year, was 56th with $77,000.

All Q-School entrants are eligible for the Asian Development Tour, where Shishido played last year. It will have 15 tournaments in its third year and also offers world ranking points.

In the Q-School’s First Stage, there are 94 entrants from Japan, followed by Australia (82), Korea (82), the U.S. (63), England (41), Thailand (40) and Chinese Taipei (37). Sweden (19), Singapore (11), Canada (11), Spain (10), the Philippines (10), France (10), Malaysia (10), Finland (8) and New Zealand (8) are also represented.

HSJGA registration open

New and returning members can now register for the Hawaii State Junior Golf Association’s 2014 season. Girls and boys ages 7-18 by July 17 and who “demonstrate a basic understanding of the game” are eligible.

To submit an application, go to HSJGA.org. Annual membership is $35, which includes a Membership Handbook, one-year USGA Junior Membership, college and rules workshops, instructional clinics, and the 2014-15 Rules of Golf book.

The first HSJGA tournament of the year is the 14-under Junior Tour Series on Kauai, Feb. 22-23. The 2014 schedule is now on HSJGA.org.

For more information, visit the website or email hsjgaoffice@gmail.com.

Army tournament returns

Leilehua is bringing back the Army Women’s Invitational. The tournament started in 1957 and ran through 1985, when an All-Services tournament began.

Edna Jackola won the Army title six times between 1960 and ’69. Lenore Muraoka and Lynne Winn won four times apiece.

The 2014 Army Women’s Invitational is March 24-25. The cost is $150 for military and $185 for civilians. It includes a practice round. Entrants must be at least 15 by March 24.

For more information, call 656-0114.

Ching misses cutoff by 2

Alex Ching opened and closed the PGA Tour Latinoamerica qualifier with rounds of 1-under 72, but what happened in between prevented him from finishing in the top 40 and retaining his playing privileges.

Ching shot 9-over-par 297 to tie for 56th at the qualifier, which ended Saturday in Sebring, Fla., after weather delays. The top 20 earned full-exempt status and the next 31 have conditional status. The cutoff came at 295. There were 132 in the field.

Ching, a Punahou graduate who won a state high school championship, played in Latin America the past two years.