Ellis cruises to victory

Former Hawaii Pearl Open winner John Ellis cruised to a seven-shot victory in last week’s Web.com Tour Q-School first-stage event in Dayton, Nev. Hilo’s Jarett Hamamoto played the final two rounds in 7 under par and also easily advanced.

Hamamoto, a two-time state high school champ who won the 2005 State Open, fired rounds of 73-70-69-68 to tie for 21st. He finished 18 shots off the pace set by Ellis, a San Jose pro.

The top 30 and ties at Dayton Country Club move on to one of six second-stage events next month. Approximately 156 advance to the Final Stage, Dec. 11-16 at PGA National in Florida.

Former state high school golf and tennis champ Alex Ching needs a late surge to advance out of the first stage at Beaumont, Calif., this week. Ching shot 72-75 Tuesday and Wednesday and is tied for 58th at Morongo Golf Club. The top 30 and ties also move on at that site.

All 50 PGA Tour cards for the 2015 season will come through Web.com this year, for the first time. All players who make it to the Final Stage secure at least conditional status on Web.com next year.

Okumura a winner

Hawaii’s Marc Okumura won the men’s B division at the BMW Golf Cup U.S. finals, last week at Pinehurst, N.C. Okumura will represent BMW USA in March at the BMW World Cup in Sydney, Australia.

Wahiawa’s Bev Kim, a Hawaii Golf Hall of Famer, took second in the women’s division. She was five points back of the winner in the 36-hole Stableford format on Pinehurst’s No. 2 and 8 courses.

Big Island Bites hosts fundraiser

A portion of the proceeds from the Nov. 8 Big Island Bites golf fundraiser at Mauna Kea will benefit Kona Kohala Chef’s Campaign, to equip Palamanui kitchens. Special food and drinks will be on the course and there will be an After Bite awards reception.

Format is four-person scramble and entry fee is $300 per person.