Brandan Kop and Lori Castillo are Inducted Into Hawaii Golf Hall of Fame

A pair of prolific champions who are familiar names in Island golf have been named as the 2008 inductees into the Hawaii Golf Hall of Fame.

Brandan Kop and Lori Castillo, golfers with more than 50 local, national and international championships between them, are the 61st and 62nd members to be voted into the Hawaii Golf Hall of Fame, which was established by the Aloha Section PGA in 1988.

The two will be will be honored at a dinner ceremony Monday, April 28, at the Hawaii Prince Hotel. To reserve a seat, contact the Aloha Section PGA at 593-2230, or visit their website at www.aloha.pga.com.

Kop is the third generation of his family to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. His grandfather, Guinea Kop, was among the inaugural inductees in 1988, and his uncle Wendell followed him in 1994. Castillo is the second member of her family to be so honored. Her father, Ron Castillo, Sr., was inducted into the Hall in 1994.

A life-long amateur, Kop is best known as a four-time winner of the Manoa Cup, symbolic of the Hawaii State Amateur Match Play Championship. While attending the University of Hawaii, Kop won the 1981 Western Athletic Conference Championship and earned NCAA All-American Honorable Mention honors. In addition to winning numerous local titles, he built a successful career as a distributor of golf equipment and apparel.

Castillo is the only Hawaii golfer to have won three USGA national championships, and one of only two golfers who have ever held two USGA titles at the same time. Jack Nicklaus is the other. She first captured the 1974 Junior World Championships, four years later, she was crowned the USGA Junior Girls Champion. She followed that up by winning the 1979 USGA Women's Amateur Public Links, then repeated as champion in 1980. A former LPGA Class A Teaching and Club Professional, she now works as a realtor on Maui.

2008 Big Island Candies
Aloha Section PGA Scotch 4-Ball Championship

The Aloha Section PGA recently announced the results of the 2008 Aloha Section PGA Big Island Candies Scotch 4-Ball Championship played at the Jack Nicklaus designed course, The Club at Hokuli'a on the Big Island, March 30-31. The Competition is a 36-hole stroke play team event. 26 teams of 52 island professionals played for a $13,500 purse.

David Gerken of The King Kamehameha Golf Club and Bill Conroy of Wailea Golf Club shot a 2-under par 70 in the final round alternate shot format to go with a best ball 65 in the first round for a total 9-under-par 135 to capture the title. First round leaders Brad Bowen of Kahili Golf Club and Joe Phengsavath of Mid Pacific CC came in tied for second with a two-day total 5-under-par 139 (64-75). 2004 and 2005 champions John Lynch of GolfTEC and Beau Yokomoto of Pearl CC also came in second place with a 66-73-139. Defending champions Kyle Herzberg and Mark Morrison 68-73-141 and 2001 champions Andrew Feldmann and Larry Stubblefield 70-71-141 came in tied for fourth place.

The Scotch 4-Ball Championship is the first major tournament of 2008 earning the winning team $3,500 as well as valuable points towards Governor's Cup selection and Section PGA Player of the Year. This event is normally a member-only event, and in an effort to increase participation, the Section allowed apprentices in good standing to participate this year.

Aloha Section PGA Play Golf America Day
Coming to Ko Olina Golf Club

Play Golf America (www.playgolfamerica.com), an initiative of The PGA of America will hold a Play Golf America Day at Ko Olina Golf Club on April 26.

The Aloha Section PGA Play Golf America Day will run from 9am - 2pm and is free to the general public. This will serve as a fun-filled day of golf activities for the entire family, designed to promote the growth of the game of golf. There will be free expert instruction to golfers of all levels, top golf club companies providing demo clubs, lots of fun games and contests, free hot dogs and thousands of dollars of door prizes being given away throughout the event.

Be one of the first 100 people to register online and show up at the event and receive a $5 gas certificate courtesy of Aloha Petroleum. To register, go to www.playgolfamerica.com

Highlights of the day will include free "Center Stage" instruction and golf clinics conducted by top Aloha Section PGA Teaching Professionals such as John Lynch, Kevin Ralbovsky and Tommy Hines to name a few. Besides these clinics, more than 30 PGA Professionals from around the state will be on hand to provide free one-point lessons and/or to provide free club-fitting.

Many of the golf industry's leading equipment manufacturers, including Callaway, Titleist, Cobra, Nike, Taylor Made, Ping and more will be on-site to provide hands-on testing of the best products on the market today.

The Aloha Section PGA Play Golf America Day event will also feature PGA Trade-In Network. This is a structured system where golfers can trade in golf clubs for credit towards the purchase of new equipment.

For more information, call the Ko Olina Golf Shop at (808) 676-5300 or visit www.koolinagolf.com

Aloha Section PGA Announces Appointment of New Executive Director

Matthew Hall, Director of Golf at the Turtle Bay Resort and President of the Aloha Section of the Professional Golf Association (ASPGA), recently announced the appointment of James L. Haugh as the organization's new executive director.

"Jim's 40 year business background in national and international sports management/administration, event management, facility operations, business development and government enterprises with several high profile organizations such as; Senior Vice President - EMIT Technologies, Director of Operations - International Management Group (IMG) Sports Academy, President/CEO - Seattle/King County Sports and Events Council, and Recreation Director - U.S. Army Hawaii MWR will be a welcome addition to our team," said Hall.

As a former USPTA tennis teaching professional, he coached at all levels including working at the world-renowned Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Florida for 5 years. He and his wife Janie, a RN at Tripler Army Medical Center, children Jesse (21) working Account Manager Benefits Northwest, Inc. in Seattle, Josie (18) freshman attending Westmont College, Santa Barbara relocated back home to Oahu the summer of 2005 after 13 years on the mainland.

Haugh assumed the position of executive director of the ASPGA on March 18. As the chief executive officer and administrator for the 260 member & apprentice section, among his responsibilities are the coordination and oversight of all tournament programs, day-to-day operations including compliance with PGA policies and regulations, development and implementation of annual business plans and long range proposals, marketing and promotion, generating new revenue sources and sponsorship alliances, and working with allied golf organizations.

The Aloha Section PGA is one of 41 PGA Sections of the Professional Golfers' Association of America. The PGA of America was founded in 1916 with the mission to promote interest, participation, enjoyment and involvement in the game of golf, establish and maintain standards of practice, and enhance the well being of golf professionals.

We are also proud to announce the creation of the Aloha Section PGA Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization and the philanthropic arm of the Aloha Section PGA, is to develop and promote interest in the game of golf while enhancing the lives of those that participate. Core values such as honesty, respect, integrity, courtesy and perseverance are reinforced through foundation programs. The perpetuation of these core values will also preserve the history of golf in the State of Hawaii. Such programs as new golfer developmental programs, scholarships, research, education and the Hawaii Golf Hall of Fame to name a few, will touch all people regardless of socio-economic stature, ethnicity or gender.

Kamehameha Park Golf Learning Center Receives Growth of the Game Grant from the PGA of America

The 12th cycle of PGA Growth of the Game grants totaling $24,960 have been awarded from the PGA of America's Growth of the Game Grant Program. The Kamehameha Park Golf Learning Center of Kapaau, HI, an organization which helps teach golf to youth in the community, recently received a grant for $9,572 from the Growth of the Game Grant Program, which highlights the PGA of America's commitment to partner with its PGA Professionals to grow participation in golf.

These funds combined with grants awarded from 2001 through this month bring the total donation from the PGA Growth of the Game Grant Program to more than $4,993,505 for a combined 464 grants.

The PGA Growth of the Game grants have touched virtually every level of society and individuals of all abilities, including programs for U.S. troops and their families, the physically challenged, Native Americans, Hispanics, African-Americans, seniors, women, Golf In Schools, Police Athletic League, collegiate-based golf, Business & Life programs and junior programs.

"Now in its 12th cycle, these PGA's Growth of the Game grants continue to be one of our association's great outreach tools to society," said PGA of America President Brian Whitcomb. "The PGA of America is proud that this program is able to connect so many communities. These grants have supported multiple golf programs as well as added to the enjoyment of a game that otherwise may not have been possible for so many."

The PGA Growth of the Game Grant Program is one of a number of initiatives administered by the PGA of America to provide resources and professional expertise to make golf more accessible to all segments of the population.

For more on the PGA Growth of the Game Grant Program, contact 1-888-532-6661.

Since 1916, the PGA of America's mission has been twofold; to establish and elevate the standards of the profession and to grow interest and participation in the game of golf.

By establishing and elevating the standards of the golf profession through world-class education, career services, marketing and research programs, the Association enables PGA Professionals to maximize their performance in their respective career paths and showcases them as experts in the game and in the $76 billion golf industry.

By creating and delivering dramatic world-class championships and exciting and enjoyable golf promotions that are viewed as the best of their class in the golf industry, the PGA of America elevates the public's interest in the game, the desire to play more golf, and ensures accessibility to the game for everyone, everywhere. The PGA of America brand represents the very best in golf.

The Kamehameha Park Golf Learning Center's junior program, under the direction of John Mauro, Jr., PGA, is offered to all youth under age 19. The program includes rules, swing instruction and play on a 6-hole "junior" links course created on a 9-acre site of existing range. The program will be offered free to all participants and the course will be dedicated to junior play on Mondays, and after 3 p.m. on Tuesday through Friday. Juniors in the program will experience all aspects of the game, including course management.

Local U.S. Open Qualifiers Coming Up

During the month of May, qualifying events for the U.S. Open Championship will be hosted at courses on four islands. The qualifiers are set for May 9th on Oahu at the Turtle Bay Resort's Fazio Course, May 12th at Kauai's Wailua Golf Course, May 17th at Maui's Kaanapali Resort, and May 19th at the Big Island's Waikoloa Kings' Course. Top finishers at each event will advance to sectional qualifying.

A U.S. Women's Open local qualifier is also slated for May 9th at Turtle Bay Resort. The sectional qualifier will be on June 9th. Applications are available by calling (908) 234-2300 and online at usga.org.

2008 Kona Open Coming Up

Entry forms are now available for the 2008 Kona Open, presented by Kuma Contracting and Shell Vacations. The tournament will be held on May 24-25 and will utilize both the Ocean and Mountain Courses at Kona Country Club. Jarett Hamamoto is the defending champion. Entry forms are available at Kona Country Club, Hilo Municipal and online at 808golf.com or aloha.pga.com.