As their morning round began the sun heated the fairways and the competition on the course as professionals Samuel Cyr and Dean Wilson jockeyed for positions, but it was Cyr who would withstand the heat from Wilson to finish with a final round of (66) and three-day total of (207). Dean finished with a respectable score of (69) to place second in the Open Division with a three round (71-70-69) total of 210.
Two amateurs were tied after the third round in the Open Division, which forced a play-off between John Oda (who recently earned an amateur spot in the 2012 Sony Open in Hawaii) and Nick Sherwood from Oregon State University golf team. The two players packed their bags back to the 9th hole on the Fazio course to which they would play continuously until a winner was determined. After four attempts Sherwood was victorious over Oda to earn the title of Low Amateur for the 2011 Turtle Bay Hawaii State Open.
In the final round of the Men's A-Flight, seven qualifiers tee off on the Palmer Course. Gary Haynie shot the low round of the day (76) for the A-Flight, but it wasn't strong enough to catch up with Haleiwa native Kimo Greene who finished with a three-day total of (235). Martin Black (of Kailua, Oahu) attempted to catch Greene on the back nine, but unfortunately went three over on the last two holes — a heart breaking finish.
In the Women's Open Division, it was a record setting day for Professional Katie Kempter (Albuquerque, New Mexico) as she posted a (30-33) 63 with nine birdies - establishing an official women's record for the Arnold Palmer course and a three day total of (204). Professional Ayaka Kaneko finished second, 5-strokes back of Kempter at (209), and Punahou 8th grader Allisen Corpuz finished 3rd at (217) as the low amateur in the Women's Open Division.
The Senior Open division was the last to tee off on the Palmer course this morning with professionals Lance Taketa and Ron Castillo tied for the lead but it was Professional David Ishii who started his round with a birdie on the first hole. Ishii continued to make pars until he reached the sixth hole and drained four birdies in a row to turn at 5-under on the front nine. Professionals Mark Shimamura and Rick De Witt tied for second at (216) while past champions Casey Nakama and Lance Suzuki tied for fourth at (219). Doug Williams earned the title of low amateur Senior Open division finishing at (226).
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The Governor's Cup was once again won by the youthful Amateur team making it 5 years in a row! The Amateur team led by captain Phil Anamizu and assistant captain Les Tamashiro made a huge charge on Tuesday to win 9-1/2 of the possible 12 points, to retain the cup with an overall total of 14-1/2 to 9- 1/2 points.
The PGA TOUR returns to Kapalua Resort's Plantation Course January 5-9, 2012 with the season-opening, Hyundai Tournament of Champions. PGA TOUR fans can look forward to seeing an elite field of professionals compete on the Plantation Course for a 5.6 million dollar purse.
Eligible PGA TOUR professionals competing in the event consist of the champions from the 2011 PGA TOUR season, providing a rare opportunity for golf fans to get a first hand look at the action and their favorite players.
Qualified players include defending champion Jonathan Byrd, Steve Stricker, Dustin Johnson, Bubba Watson, Adam Scott, Bill Haas, Nick Watney, Keegan Bradley, K.J. Choi, Darren Clarke, Luke Donald, Justin Rose, Rory McIlroy and many more.
Be sure to note that this year's event features a non-traditional Monday afternoon finish. For tournament questions, visit kapalua.com or call Kapalua Resort's Events Management office at 1-888-665-9160.
Doug Bohn and Ben Hongo of Kapalua Bay came out on top at the 2011 E-Z-GO Facility Team Championship at Hualalai Resort. Bohn and Hongo nudged out host professional Brendan Moynahan and Jake Belveal of Hualalai Resort by one stroke to take home the winning prize of $2,600.
Playing the Ke'olu Course was no easy task as it faces golfers with tougher greens and a stronger day two wind. "I don't know how we did it or what we did to win but it was just enough. It wasn't pretty all the way around and the course was playing tough", says Bohn.
Jonathan Ota holed out from the bunker on the last hole at the Bridgestone Golf Pro Sratch to help he and Lance Taketa defend their Bridgestone Pro-Scratch championship at Pearl Country Club.
Ota, the "scratch" amateur on the team and 2006 Manoa Cup champ, and Taketa, a professional at Hilo Municipal Golf Course, fired a 7-under-par 65 in the second day's best-ball format. They shot 62 in Monday's scramble format and entered the final day in a four-way tie for first.
The PGA TOUR returns to Kapalua Resort's Plantation Course January 5-9, 2012 with the season-opening, Hyundai Tournament of Champions. PGA TOUR fans can look forward to seeing an elite field of professionals compete on the Plantation Course for a 5.6 million dollar purse.
Eligible PGA TOUR professionals competing in the event consist of the champions from the 2011 PGA TOUR season, providing a rare opportunity for golf fans to get a first hand look at the action and their favorite players.
Qualified players include defending champion Jonathan Byrd, Steve Stricker, Dustin Johnson, Bubba Watson, Adam Scott, Bill Haas, Nick Watney, Keegan Bradley, K.J. Choi, Darren Clarke, Luke Donald, Justin Rose, Rory McIlroy and many more.
Be sure to note that this year's event features a non-traditional Monday afternoon finish. For tournament questions, visit kapalua.com or call Kapalua Resort's Events Management office at 1-888-665-9160.
Attention Advertisers!
Don't miss out on your opportunity to target your ad message directly to Hawaii's visiting and local golfers with the new Fall/Winter 2010 Edition of the Hawaii Golf Guide. For advertising information, please contact Pro Graphics Pacific at 808-293-7077.
ASPGA Professionals Honored at 2011 Special Awards Dinner
The 2011 Annual Meeting and Special Awards Dinner was held on Sunday, November 27, 2011 at The King Kamehameha Kona Beach Hotel. Aloha Section PGA professional Larry Keil of Turtle Bay Golf was honored as Golf Professional of the Year, including Eddie Lee of David Leadbetter Golf Academy as Teacher of the Year and Lance Taketa of Hilo Municipal Golf Course as both the Bill Strausbaugh and Horton Smith Award winner.
The Champions Tour kicks off its 2012 season with the Mitsubishi Electric Championship hosted at the Big Island's spectacular Hualalai Golf Club, January 20-22. Look for 2011 champion John Cook to defend his title against an elite field of Champions PGA TOUR winners and golf legends.
Eligible players include defending champion John Cook, Tom Watson, Bernhard Langer, Mark O'Meara, Kenny Perry, Mark Calcavecchia, Jay Haas, Fred Funk, Nick Price, Loren Roberts, Tom Lehman and Fred Couples to name just a few.
Hualalai features a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course and a five-star Four Seasons hotel. This $1.8 million event will be played at Hualalai for the 15th time.
All three rounds will be televised on The Golf Channel. Spectator tickets will be available at $10 daily, or $25 for a season pass. For more information or advance ticket purchase, call 1-800-417-2770.
Champions Skins Game Canceled for 2012
After an 11-year run on Maui, the Champions Skins Game is off for 2012 according to Kaanapali officials. The Kaanapali Golf Course has expressed interest in possibly hosting the event again in 2013 if there's enough sponsorship interest in the event.
The Aloha Section PGA recently announced the hiring of a new staff member, Wesley Wailehua. Congratulations to Wesley on his new position as tournament director.
Oda Earns Lone Amateur Spot in 2012 Sony Open
John Oda, 15, won this year's Amateur Qualifier for the 2012 Sony Open in Hawaii, earning the lone spot designated for one of Hawaii's best amateurs. Oda fired a 71 to win by two shots over Kalani junior Richard Hattori and Iolani senior Lorens Chan. Oda now opens his season by playing the PGA Tour's first full-field event. Earlier this summer, Oda had made it to the final of the Manoa Cup, but then lost to defending champion David Fink
Michelle Wie
Honolulu's Michelle Wie has done well this year on the LPGA Tour. Wie finished the season ranked 18th on the money list with earnings of $627,936, collecting seven top ten finishes, including two runner-up finishes at the Honda LPGA Thailand and CN Canadian Women's Open in August. Her official career earnings have now reached $2,421,007, and she has two career victories.
At the 2011 Solheim Cup in Ireland, Wie faced Susanne Petterson in her singles match, but came up just short as Petterson birdied her final three holes to win.
Wie, 22, will soon graduate from Stanford University and looks forward to playing full-time on the LPGA Tour.
Kaneohe's Dean Wilson was having a fairly good year until a back injury caused him to withdraw from several events late in the season. Wilson finished the season ranked 151st on the money list with $401,314 in earnings. The top 125 earn PGA Tour cards for 2012.
Wilson has one PGA Tour victory, The International in 2006, and has career earnings of $8,903,908. His best finish in 2011 was at the Valero Texas Open in April where he finished tied for 11th.
Wilson was unsuccessful at PGA TOUR Qualifying School for 2012, but he still has status as a past champion and there's a possibility he could get a medical extension.
HONORING HAWAII'S GOLF ELITE PROFESSIONALS, AMATEURS, and INDUSTRY LEADERS
The Aloha Section PGA Foundation and Friends of Hawaii Charities will be honoring the 2012 Hall of Fame inductees at the annual Hawaii Golf Ho'olaule'a Awards on Friday, January 13th — 6:00 pm at the Honolulu Country Club.
The annual Ho'olaule'a also honors some of Hawaii's golf elite from the leading organizations in the state. Along with the inductees from the Aloha Section PGA, the Hawaii State Golf Association, Hawaii State Junior Golf Association, Hawaii State Women's Golf Association, Hawaii Course Superintendents, Hawaii Golf Representative Association and The First Tee of Hawaii, will be recognizing their outstanding amateur golfers and industry leaders at the Ho'olaule'a awards ceremony.
The celebration is open to the golf community of Hawaii and we encourage all the family, friends, and supporters, of each association to join us in honor the 2012 recipients. Tickets are now available for the 2012 celebration.
Ticket Prices:
Adult: $50.00
Children: $40.00 (8 and under)
Table sponsorships are also available: $750.00
Reservations can be made online at www.aspga.com and additional information is available by contacting the Aloha Section PGA office (808) 593-2230.
All proceeds from the celebration support the Aloha Section PGA Foundation, a 501(c) (3) organization whose mission is to continue the growth of the game by promoting interest, participation, and enjoyment for golfers in Hawaii.
Mahalo nui loa to Friends of Hawaii Charities for sponsoring the annual Hawaii Golf Ho'olaule'a awards ceremony. Through their support of this event the foremost golf organizations are able to perpetuate Hawaii's golf history. Visit the Friends of Hawaii Charities website (www.friendsofhawaii.org.) to appreciate how (with the help of the Sony OPEN in Hawaii) they continue to support many of Hawaii's not-for-profit charities each year. You can also purchase tickets for the 2012 Sony Open in Hawaii from their website and start the New Year by supporting golf in Hawaii.
THE PGA OF AMERICA AND USGA ENCOURAGE GOLFERS TO TEE IT FORWARD IN 2012
The PGA of America (PGA) and United States Golf Association (USGA) want golfers to have more fun by “teeing it forward” all year long.
Following the successful pilot launch of TEE IT FORWARD in July 2011, The PGA and USGA are encouraging golfers to continue to tee it forward and play from distances that match their playing skills. More than 1,900 facilities registered in 2011 with an average of 123 golfers per facility (nearly 237,000 nationwide) playing from forward tees during the promotional period. Additionally, a survey of more than 3,000 consumers who experienced the program showed that 70 percent found their round of golf more enjoyable and more than 90 percent said they would recommend TEE IT FORWARD to a friend. The survey also found nearly 50 percent of respondents saying the program helped them play faster.
“These golfers told us that they found golf more enjoyable by playing courses at shorter lengths than usual. At the end of the day, that's what we want…golfers to have more fun, which, in turn, hopefully means they will play more and stay in the game,” said PGA of America President Allen Wronowski. “This initiative also generated incredible buzz through traditional and social media, as well as at golf facilities across the country.”
The PGA partnered with the USGA to support TEE IT FORWARD in 2011 and both organizations are once again teaming up to make this a year-round promotion.
“Simply put, TEE IT FORWARD can make golf much more fun for millions of people, while contributing to the growth of the game,” said Jim Hyler, USGA President. “We are encouraged by the results of our pilot, and believe this new approach to the game is really beginning to catch on with golfers of all skill levels.”
TEE IT FORWARD was brought to the forefront by industry veteran Barney Adams, retired founder of Adams Golf. Adams was a strong advocate and ambassador for TEE IT FORWARD in 2011 and will continue in that role.
“I've been around the game for more than 30 years and continue to be amazed as golfers make it much harder than it should be by playing golf courses at distances that don't come close to matching their abilities,” said Adams. “By playing from forward tees, amateur golfers have the chance to play the course at the same relative distance as a touring professional would over 18 holes. We need golfers to be hitting eight-irons and wedges into par fours like the pros…not fairway woods.”
While it was highlighted during a specific time period in 2011, TEE IT FORWARD is now being promoted as a year-round initiative. Courses can set up additional tees to provide golfers with more options or simply encourage golfers to use existing forward tees to potentially have a more enjoyable experience on the course.
The PGA and USGA will be developing educational and promotional materials to be distributed to golf facilities across the country. World Golf Hall of Fame member Jack Nicklaus, PGA TOUR star Dustin Johnson and LPGA star Paula Creamer have been utilized on materials to carry the TEE IT FORWARD message. Both organizations will also leverage PSA and other promotional opportunities around their respective championships to support the initiative.
For more information, visit PlayGolfAmerica.com/TEEITFORWARD.
Dan Nishimoto, a golf pro from Kauai, shot 76-74-150 at Waikele CC on O`ahu to win the pro flight of the Hawaii Golf Senior Open Sep. 13-14. He defeated Don Wilburn (151) by one stroke.
Following are the results… mens' amateur A and B flights are by age, rather than by handicap, with one gross winner and the rest were net winners.
Hawaii Golf Senior Open
Waikele Country Club
Sep. 13-14, 2010
Pro Flight
Dan Nishimoto 76-74-150
Don Wilburn 73-78-151
John Kim 79-79-158
A Flight (Ages 50-to-61)
Doug Williams 75-77-152
Jeff Steen (net scores) 70-61-131
Alvin Okada, Sr. (net) 66-75-142
Steve Bitcon (net) 73-71-144
Elmer Tadly (net) 65-79-144
Tom Yoneda (net) 74-71-145
Bill Sheehan (net) 67-79-146
B Flight (Ages 62 and older)
David Kochi 79-77-156
Cliff Nishikawa (net) 68-74-142
Charles Betts (net) 70-73-143
Mike Ohnuma (net) 72-71-143
Tom Hrdlicka (net) 69-75-144
Vince Bradley (net) 66-80-146
David Zerfoss (net) 70-76-146
Perry Lara (net) 70-80-150
Kona Smith (net) 76-76-152
Albert Choy (net) 74-78-152
Womens Flight (Net Scores)
Annette Mathias 67-71-138
Jenny Zerfoss 70-76-146
Sun Ae Arinaga 68-82-150
Mary Castillo 80-75--155
Hawaii Golf Online © 2012
