Former Hawaii resident Chan Kim qualified for golf’s next two majors last week in Japan.
It started Monday for Kim, 27, who was born in South Korea, grew up in Honolulu and moved to Arizona not long after winning our 2007 State Amateur Stroke Play Championship.
The 2006 Hawaii state high school champ tied for second at Japan’s U.S. Open Sectional Qualifier. That earned him an invitation to the 117th U.S. Open Championship, which starts in two weeks at Erin Hills, Wis.
On Sunday, Kim won the Japan golf tour’s Mizuno Open in Okayama by five shots. That gave him an invitation to the 146th Open Championship in July, at Royal Birkdale in England.
Kim moved up nearly 300 spots in the World Golf Rankings this week, to No. 262, by moving into his first major championships. He has played mostly in Asia and Europe since turning pro in 2011. He won the 2009 Pacific Coast Amateur.
The 10 U.S. sectional qualifiers will be June 5 across the country. Nearly 1,000 golfers are competing for about half the spots in the U.S. Open’s 156-player field. Almost 9,000 entered this year’s Open qualifiers.
Kim, who went to Kaimuki High School, won the local qualifier in Scottsdale, Ariz., to get into Japan’s sectional. ‘Iolani grad Lorens Chan was co-medalist at Gig Harbor, Wash.
Others from Hawaii who advanced out of local qualifiers are Tadd Fujikawa, Alex Chiarella, Philip Delisi, Garrett Okamura, Toru Nakajima and Joshua Roland Defreitas Jr.
Spencer Dunaway was first alternate at Salt Lake City. Justin Ngan and Sam Cyr were alternates on Maui and Cory Oride and Kyohei Nomura on Oahu.
Hawaii’s Malia Nam and Allysha Mae Mateo were the alternates at Monday’s U.S. Women’s Open Sectional Qualifier at Poipu Bay. The medalist was So Whi Kang of Seoul, who earned the only invitation in the 22-player field.
The 72nd U.S. Women’s Open Championship is July 13-16 in New Jersey. Hawaii’s sectional is one of 25 played in the U.S., England, Japan, China and Korea. Former Maui resident Kyung Kim won the Scottsdale, Ariz., sectional to qualify. Michelle Wie is exempt from qualifying as the 2014 champion.
Last week, Punahou alum Cyd Okino finished fifth at the Japan Pro Test second-stage qualifier for Japan’s LPGA tour. She shot rounds of 69-73-70. The final stage is in July.
Summer sale at Ko Olina
Ko Olina Golf Club’s annual Summer Sale is Saturday from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Apparel from Ralph Lauren, Nike, Adidas, Puma and others will be discounted up to 75 percent.
The first 50 in line receive a free Lotte lapel pin, with the next 100 getting a coupon worth $10 off a purchase of $50 or more.
The Hawaii Golf Representatives Association Sample Sale is June 10, from 9-11 a.m. in the Washington Intermediate Cafeteria (1633 S. King St.). Golf shirts, shoes and equipment will be on sale.
Ralbovski hosts driving clinic
A two-day Driver Swing Workshop will be conducted by Kevin Ralbovski, June 10-11 on his KMR School of Golf Teaching Deck at Koolau Golf Club. The workshop runs from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. each day, costs $100 and is open to 12 students.
Ralbovsky will “break down the theory of driving” the first day, followed by strength exercises, stretching routines and hitting. There is review Sunday and more hitting. The goal is to improve set-up, increase rotation, speed up release and “dial in your launch angles.”
All skill levels are welcome. Email ralbovskk001@hawaii.rr.com to register.
