DULUTH, GA - MAY 17: Parker McLachlin watches his tee shot on the second hole during the third round of the AT&T Classic at TPC Sugarloaf May 17, 2008 in Duluth, Georgia. (Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images)

Does being one of three of Yahoo!s’ “Who’s Hot!” list in their Fantasy Golf section mean you’re on the path to the top in the world of “GOLF”? Waikoloa’s Parker McLachlin earned that spot on the “Who’s Hot!” along with Sergio Garcia and Adam Scott, on May 20, 2008, just two days after his second top ten finish this year. Pretty good company to be in. Garcia with the most wins of the 20 something’s on the PGA Tour and Scott called one PGA Tour player with the most potential to take on Tiger Woods.

Punahou graduate McLachlin had a one shot lead in the final round of the AT&T Classic in Georgia on the final day after completing 13 holes with 7 birdies, an eagle and one bogey. And then McLachlin kind of lost his momentum.

Parker McLachlin lines up a putt on the 16th green during the final round of the AT&T Classic golf tournament Sunday, May 18, 2008, in Duluth, Ga. McLachlin shared the lead part of the tournament and finished fifth.

McLachlin's bogeys on 14, 16 and 18 cost him a place in the play-off.

31-year old Ryuji Imada, who has been based in the U.S. since moving to a golf academy in Florida at the age of 14. After that Ryuji played for the University of Georgia. Kind of appropriate that he’d get his first PGA Tour win in the land of peaches.  He joined the PGA Tour in 2005 after coming up through the ranks on the Nationwide Tour.

But it was a real tight leaderboard with McLachlin in the race through most of it. Colombian Camilo Villegas almost made it through the pack with 5 birdies on the back nine. He took over where McLachlin stopped making birdies. 

Parker McLachlin hits from the tee on the eighth hole during the first round. (AP Photo/John Amis)

Jonathan Byrd was 13 under followed by the quartet at 12 under including McLachlin who had a beautiful eagle on the par 4 13th.  McLachlin held the lead until those bogeys but it wasn’t to be his day. Americans James Driscoll and Justin Bolli also finished at 12 under-par.

Imada beat Kenny Perry in a playoff at the AT&T Classic this year, after losing the tournament a year ago on the 73rd hole. The two finished regulation at 15-under 273 and Imada won on the second hole but not before a quirky string of events.

Perry’s ball ended up in the water on the first playoff hole. The ball hit a pine tree behind the green about 10 feet up the trunk. It ricocheted straight across the putting surface and didn’t stop rolling until it was in the pond.  A year ago, Imada got into a playoff with Zach Johnson at the TPC Sugarloaf, only to lose when he knocked his second shot into the same pond that stole Perry’s ball this year.

Parker McLachlin hits from the tee on the first hole during third-round play. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

You really appreciate how much McLachlin has grown if you could hear him talk about coming so close. Naturally he is disappointed with those 7 holes in the final round. But he told reporters, the next time he is in this position, in the lead and on top of the world, he’ll be that much more prepared to handle it. Now that’s composure.

McLachlin moved up in the Fed Ex Cup points race and the money list. He went from 93rd to 69th on the list and earned over $200 thousand dollars.

Dean Wilson, who is having a tough go of it this half of the year, finished tied for 55th and moved down to 93 on the Fed Ex Cup list. After all this time Tiger Woods has been taking off to recover from the knee surgery, Woods still enjoys a 7 thousand point lead over world #2 Phil Mickleson.

Play GOLF America

It was the best weekend ever. The Ko Olina Golf Course hosted one of the PGA of America’s “Play Golf America” days in April and we had a great time. The “Play Golf America” day was created to bring people who are curious about the game but haven’t felt comfortable just walking into a pro shop or showing up at a golf course. It’s also about getting kids into the game. It’s one of the best experiences you can have with your kids. They really go for it, if you let them into your world.

Alaka’i Hennings, 4 and a half years old, learns to swing a club with PGA Professional Kevin Kashiwai at the Junior Golf Station

When we decided to broadcast “The Golf Club” radio show from the event, we thought why not make it a weekend of fun and relaxation at Ko Olina Resort.

We stayed at the beautiful JW Marriott Ihilani hotel. And by the way, the hotel has gotten better since it first opened. The folks at JW Mariott Ihilani obviously want to keep their property at the top of the list of great Oahu destinations.

JW Marriott Ihilani with the Waianae range in the background

As soon as I walked through the revolving front door, I let out a huge sigh and my shoulders relaxed.

I had left the city behind and I was in the country, away from the hustle and bustle of the traffic, the schedules, the appointments, the work, the obligations, the traffic...oh, I said that already. Traffic on Oahu is bad enough to mention twice.

The front desk greeted me with smiles like I had come home. My problems, cares, concerns melted away, forgotten for the time being.

What a view from the hotel room, with the pool and the lagoons beckoning. That’s where the kids can go on the “Seafari” and feed fish and go on scavenger hunts.

Room key in hand, I found my room and all the little extras you can ask for were in place. The mini refrigerator was delivered plus the coffee pot and the "mini-bar" was locked to keep my grandson out of trouble. He's four and a half and can't be held responsible if he gets hold of a chocolate bar.

And then there's the "Plush Top" bed. Yes, I don't care what they say about the importance of a bed in a hotel room, in my book it's my number #1 concern.

If I don't get a good night sleep, I'm not going to really recharge my batteries and enjoy the weekend. I might as well go home. So the bed better be good, no matter who makes it.
 
What if you want to celebrate a second honeymoon and stay in bed all weekend? It had better be a comfortable bed with excellent room service, and chocolate covered strawberries with champagne. Yes, all of that is possible just a few miles down the road from downtown Honolulu.  So if the bed is important to you, rest easy. The JW Marriott Ihilani has you covered.

What about that getaway and you've got kids? If they're five and older, and sometimes four if the program coordinator agrees, there's the children's program. It's the Keiki Beachcomber Club conducted by Kama'aina Kids. They have their own clubhouse. It's a specially designed, ground-level facility for indoor and outdoor activities.

Here's one activity. A little chicken wire, vinegar, food coloring and baking soda, and the kids are making their own paper mache volcano, complete with eruption. Kids go on seafari adventures, with the four lagoons right in front of the hotel, they can hunt for crabs and feed the fish and go on a Beach scavenger hunt. They learn to string lei and dance the hula and Hawaiian legends.

Alaka’i Hennings, fish inspector, would have spent hours just watching the fish let alone having the opportunity to feed them!

Or you can sign you, your child or children, up for lessons with the PGA professionals at Ko Olina.  Besides the junior golf program the golf course runs, they can take individual lessons with a professional, like PGA Professional Tommy Hines, to get them started and confident.

You can take a lesson. Or you can go to the Ihilani Spa at for a day of pampering while your family is out on the golf course. How about a 50-minute Milk and Honey Moisturizing Wrap? Or the Relaxation Lounge with a Dry Cedar Sauna, Eucalyptus Steam Room and Roman Pool.

But the best of both worlds is a round of golf, or nine holes, followed by an hour massage and then dinner at one of the great restaurants in the hotel.

JW Marriott Ihilani with the Ko Olina Golf Course in the foreground

“PLAY GOLF AMERICA” - CLINICS, FREE FOOD AND THOUSANDS IN PRIZES!

“Play Golf America” has a festival atmosphere with something for the whole family

The "Play Golf America" may have its origins in attracting newcomers to the game of golf and that is still its primary purpose but it has also taken on a life of it's own.  It’s become more like a “golf festival” at Ko Olina.

With the devotion of our local PGA professionals who give up their personal time, the equipment representatives, and other vendors and volunteers including the “Nanakuli Kids”, there were all kinds of activities going on for the whole family.

These folks came out to share their love for the game of golf with the community.

From free hotdogs and chips and drinks to the demo clubs and clinics and games and thousands of dollars worth of door prizes given away.

You can even get the "blue book" value of your used clubs. Yes, those dusty clubs have value! Check it out at PGA.com. You can trade them in for a credit toward to new club you want.

Or you can try out the new clubs on the market.

This is trying out the new clubs on the market. You are really trying out the club!

The list of the PGA Professionals at the “Play Golf America” reads like a list of the board of directors of the Aloha Section and the some of the top professionals and golf instructors in the islands. John Lynch, Greg Nichols, Tommy Hines, Tim Herek, David Ishii, Abe Mariano, Andrew Feldmann and Jeff Ferry.

Intermission at The “Center Stage” during the Aloha Section PGA Play Golf America Day at Ko Olina. Over 30 PGA Professionals from around the state were there to provide free one-point lessons.

Titleist/Cobra Hawaii representative Les Tamashiro seen here working on someone’s grip. Like I’ve said over and over again on “The Golf Club”, if you hear that Titleist is going to be doing a demo day, hope that Les will be there to do the same for you.

The putting green made a lot of winners – but no one walked away with the big money - $10,000!

HALL OF FAME – KOP AND CASTILLO

It was a festive evening with families that go back generations in the golf industry glad to have a chance to get together and applaud each other.

Brandan Kop is the third generation of his family to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, which was established by the Aloha Section PGA in 1988. His grandfather, Guinea Kop, was among the inaugural inductees in 1988, and his uncle Wendell followed him in 1994.

Lori Castillo is the second member of her family to be so honored. Her father, Ron Castillo, Sr., was inducted into the Hall in 1994.

Brandan Kop and Lori Castillo, golfers with more than 50 local, national and international championships between them, were inducted into the Hawaii Golf of Fame Monday, April 28, at a dinner ceremony at the Hawaii Prince Hotel.

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. He also won the Hawaii State Amateur Stroke Play Championship twice, and is a two-time winner of the All Japan (Hochi) Amateur Championship. In addition to winning two open titles - the Mid-Pacific Open and Sports Shinko Open - Kop has captured the Army Amateur Invitational seven times, the Hickam Invitational three times and the Barber's Point Invitational twice. He has single wins in the Navy-Marine Invitational, Oahu Country Club Invitational and Sheraton Makaha Invitational.  Kop has represented Hawaii in 10 USGA national championships. He qualified for the PGA Tour's 1992 Hawaiian Open and for the Sony Open in Hawaii in 1999, 2001 and 2006.  Between 1980 and 2007, he qualified for 28 straight Governor's Cup matches, an annual team competition between the state's best amateur and professional golfers.   

Castillo is the only Hawaii golfer to have won three USGA national championships, and she is the first female and one of only four golfers who have ever held two USGA titles at the same time. Jack Nicklaus, Bobby Jones and Chick Evans are the others.  Castillo first made a name for herself at the 1974 Junior World Championships in San Diego, California, where she captured the title for girls ages 13-14. Four years later, she was crowned the USGA Girls' Junior Champion in Wilmington, Delaware.  While the reigning U.S. Girls' Junior Champion, Castillo captured the 1979 USGA Women's Amateur Public Links title, then repeated as champion in 1980. That same year, she represented the United States at the Curtis Cup match in Wales, United Kingdom.

Castillo attended the University of Tulsa where she was a member of the 1980 NCAA Championship team and the school's top female student-athlete. She finished her college career at Stanford University, where she was an All-American Honorable Mention. After college, she turned professional and won the 1984 Wirral Caldy Classic on the women's European Tour.  Castillo is a five-time Hawaii State Open women's champion and a past winner of the Jennie K. Wilson Invitational and the Navy-Marine Invitational. A former LPGA Class A Teaching and Club Professional, she now works as a realtor on Maui.

At the April 28 induction ceremony, the ASPGA Foundation will be giving back to the community by presenting the following scholarships:

• Castle Resorts & Hotels Pro-Am Series Scholarship Program - Presented to the University of Hawaii at Manoa Golf Team for a full-year scholarship for a Hawaii High School Senior who has been selected to play on their team.  This allows Hawaii's university system to continue to promote and highlight our top local juniors at the collegiate level.
• ASPGA Foundation Scholarship Program - Presented four $2,500 scholarships to junior golfers selected based on academic excellence, involvement in the game of golf, community involvement and other criteria. Britney Isobe, a senior at Punahou; Valerie Kitamori a freshman at Pacific University; Kelii Dias, a senior at Kamehameha High School-Maui; and Marc Arakaki, a senior at Kalani High School, all received $2,500 scholarships for higher education. Valerie is the only two-time recipient and a former student at Waiakea High School.
• ASPGA Foundation Apprentice Scholarships - $4,500 worth of scholarships were presented to the Aloha Section's top apprentices to allow them financial assistance in their quest to achieve membership in the PGA of America.  These individuals were selected based on their performance at the PGA's Professional Golf Management program.  Regan Lee won the Level 1 scholarship, Tim Dietrich and Paul Ogawa split the Level 2 scholarship, and Dodd Hessey and Tim Dietrich split the Level 3 scholarship.

Thank you to Joy Kunishima, the Office Manager of the Aloha Section PGA, for her writing and for providing us with these terrific photos of Lori Castillo and Brandan Kop.

WELCOME, JIM HAUGH, THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ALOHA SECTION PGA

Danielle Tucker broadcasting from “Play Golf America” at Ko Olina

During “The Golf Club” broadcast at Ko Olina last month, we met the Aloha Section PGA Executive Director Jim Haugh. He has been in the business of sports for his entire life. You can hear the show at www.radiogolfclub.com, go to the “LISTEN” link and scroll down to the icon that looks like a squashed golf ball wearing headsets. Click on that and you’ll find “The Golf Club” archive. It lists all the shows with the guests from the past few years. Scroll down to the date you want, in this case April 26, 2008, and click on your computer version.

Aloha Section PGA executive director Jim Haugh during “The Golf Club” radio show at Ko Olina Golf Club “Play Golf America”. Right after the show, he got into his “uniform” and got to work helping out at the “Check In” desk.

The “Check In” desk at “Play Golf America”

In addition to marketing Hawaii as a golf destination, Jim Haugh has some compelling ideas for marketing Hawaii as a sports destination. He is very aware of the global competition Hawaii is facing and that we can’t rest on our “paradise” laurels to bring the visitor to the islands.

I just read an article in The Economist, the May 17th issue, about emerging economies transforming the travel industry. Despite the price of oil, the World Travel & Tourism Council is upbeat about global travel. And the United Nations World Tourism Organization predicts growth of international tourism with be fastest in Asia and the Pacific. Let us hope this will include Hawaii.

Last year the number of visits abroad by the Chinese reached 47 million, 5 million more than the visitors going to China. According to the WTTC, Chinese demand for travel and tourism will quadruple in value in the next ten years. “AeroMexico”, Mexico’s airline, will begin direct flights from Mexico City to Shanghai at the end of May, or now. The plan is to fly twice a week. In Vietnam, home of the one of the worlds fastest-growing tourist industries, Chinese and other Asian tourists are overtaking Westerners.

Thank you to Jack Nicklaus and others for introducing golf to the Chinese! With the help of the Aloha Section PGA executive director Haugh, his connections and interesting ideas, maybe we can grow the game of golf, and other sport related tourism.

Jack Nicklaus, left, and his wife, Barbara, unveil a painting of Nicklaus after he received the PGA Tour Lifetime Achievement Award during a ceremony at the TPC Sawgrass golf course in Vedra Beach, Fla., Wednesday, May 7, 2008. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)

TADD MAKES TWO MORE CUTS and OTHER NOTABLES

In May, Tadd Fujikawa made two cuts against strong fields on the Japan Golf Tour. The first was at the Crowns 2008. He started off with a 69 71. Made the cut and fired a 74 70 on the weekend for a 284 total. He finished tied for 48th. He earned close to $3 thousand dollars.  The second was at the Munsingwear Open KSB Cup 2008.  Fujikawa had three great rounds of 70, 72 and 71 but ballooned to an 80 in the final round tying for 65th but he made the cut.

Michelle Wie didn't. Make the cut that is. At her previous LPGA event. She'll be playing the weekend this newsletter is posted but earlier this month she just couldn't get anything going.

Michelle Wie looks over a putt on the 10th hole during the first round of the Michelob Ultra Open LPGA golf tournament at the Kingsmill Resort in Williamsburg, Va., Thursday, May 8, 2008. Wie finished with a 4-over 75. (AP Photo/Gary C. Knapp)

We're not giving up on her. We’re completely behind her. She just needs to find her natural rhythm. That may mean not listening to some of the voices advising her. That’s not easy, given her circumstances, if possible at all at her age.

Annika Sorenstam is retiring at the end of this golf season. Hopefully she'll add the Kapalua Classic at the Kapalua Bay Course on Maui to one of her last events. It’s not really that surprising, her retirement. A couple of years ago, there were rumors Sorenstam wanted to retire to become a chef. Now she wants to focus on starting a family. She’s always said she’s either all in, or all out of competition but she still has lots of golf related business that’ll keep her close to the game.

Congratulations to Xyra Suyetsugu. She won the Jenny K at the Mid Pacific Country Club at the middle of the month. We’ll have much more on her win and the event in our next newsletter. You can listen to our coverage from the Mid Pacific Country Club at www.aroundhawaii.com and scroll down to the Listen button. Scroll down to the squashed golf ball with headsets on and click on that. You’ll find the Jenny K on May 17th.

Lorena Ochoa was back to winning. It was her 22nd win since April of 2006, and the $300 thousand prize pushed her career earnings past the $12 million mark, making her the fastest player on the LPGA Tour to reach that level. She did it in just over five years, more than four years faster than the mark set by Sorenstam.

Ochoa missed this birdie putt on the sixth hole. She shot 71. Credit: Travis Lindquist/Getty Images

Wayne Gretzky teamed with Chris Nallen won the Pro-Am title at the BMW Charity Pro-Am on the Nationwide Tour and David Mathis won his first Nationwide title closing with a 3-under 68.

Spain’s Sergio Garcia won the “fifth” major at the Players Championship, his biggest title yet. And it was in a playoff with Paul Goydos. Another young man manages to pull off a victory against the mature player, much like the win Imada pulled off against Kenny Perry. “I want to thank Tiger for not being her,” Garcia said. “That always makes things a little bit easier.”

Speaking of Tiger, his recovery from knee surgery is on track and he could be playing at the Memorial and the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines in San Diego.

ALOHA SECTION PGA FOUNDATION FUNDRAISER

It’s raining golf balls.

Okay, so you take 4 thousand golf balls and drop them from a helicopter and see which ones roll into the cup. In the case of the 2008 Aloha Section PGA Helicopter Golf Ball Drop Contest, 14 rolled in. The grand prize was an all expense paid trip for two to the Ryder Cup at Vallhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky in September. The two second place prizes were $500 each. With 14 balls in, ASPGA President Matt Hall had to pull the winners out of a blind draw. Noa Galdeira, the Director of Golf at the Big Island Country Club was the Ryder Cup trip winner. James Honke of Wahiawa and Puakea Golf Club won the two second place prizes of $500 each.

By the way, the fundraiser generated $13,554 for the Aloha Section PGA Foundation, a 501-(c)3 non-profit created to provide scholarships and financial support to community events like “Play Golf America”.

US OPEN HOPEFULS

Lehua Wise of Lihue Kauai is going to the sectionals after local qualifying at the St. Louis Country Club. The day before Mari Chun of Pearl City qualified at the Half Moon Bay Golf Links. Jaclyn Hilea of Kaneohe qualified at the Canongate at the Georgia National Golf Club.

In Hawaii, at the George Fazio Course at the Turtle Bay Resort, Cyd Okino of Honolulu, Bridget Dwyer of Kailua and Anna Jang of Aiea all earned their place in the sectional.  Stephanie Kono and Kristina Merkle are two of the alternates.

The question is whether there are enough women players in Hawaii to hold a sectional here, as has been in years past. Jang talked about whether she’d be able to afford a trip to the mainland. We talked about it during “The Golf Club” show while at the Jenny K. at the Mid Pacific Country Club. I’ll have the coverage of the Jenny K. in my next column.

In the US Men’s Open locals qualifiers, Cory Oride of Lihue won at the Wailua Municipal Golf Course on Kauai. T.J. Kua and David Fink are the alternates.

At Turtle Bay on Oahu, on the Fazio Golf Course, Pierre-Henri Soero of New Caledonia and Damien Jamila of Waimanalo won and Kevin Carll and Lorens Chan are alternates.

At the Waikoloa King’s Course on the Big Island, Sean Maekawa of Paaulio won. Jarrett Hamamoto earned the alternate spot in a sudden death playoff with Mark Morrisson.

On Maui, TJ Figueroa of Kahului took the first spot and Bradley Yosaitis, a junior at Punahou School on Oahu got the second spot in a 4-way playoff.  Darren Summers and Kelii Dias, a senior at Kamehameha on Maui are first and second alternates.

“NANAKULI KIDS”

Ko Olina Golf Club Director of Golf Greg Nichols and “Nanakuli Kids” member Remeny Sanchez.

Ko Olina Golf Club and three elementary schools on the Leeward Coast made a commitment to excellence. The program is called Ho’okipa I Pookela. The children begin the program in 4th grade and by the time they are in 7th grade, they are mentoring the 4th graders.

Over 50 children applied by writing an essay and getting teacher recommendations and 16 children got in.

9-year old Remeny Sanchez on “The Golf Club” radio show

9-year old Remeny Sanchez was one of the 16 to win the competition with her essay. All the children were asked to write they expected to learn and then give back to the community by being in the program. The program provides free lessons at Ko Olina  and the kids commit to community service time. Their long-term goal? For Nanakuli to win the State golf championship.

IN CLOSING

Thank you to Avi P Cosmetics Inc. for providing the best mineral make up you can buy.

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I have tried several different brands, from liquid mineral to other powder varieties and they just don’t compare, on any level. Get the best for your game.

You can order on-line at http://avipcosmetics.com - “changing one face at a time!”. “Our mineral makeup is the cleanest and finest. free of Talc, Bismuth oxychloride, cornstarch, Organic synthetic dyes, animal-derived colors, aluminum, parabens or other synthetic preservatives, synthetic oils, propylene, ethylene, buthylene glycols and other ingredients that are of synthetic or petrochemical origin.  Bismuth, cornstarch and its other forms are the basic ingredients in most makeups including mineral makeup.  Our makeup has none.  Only pure minerals that stay stable and have virtually no expiration date.  But the user will be so dedicated to this makeup after seeing results in skin tone and texture that the product will be a constant need in anyones counter, purse or dresser.”

I look forward to seeing you “on top the radio” in the “clubhouse” where we get together every Saturday morning at 7AM.
Until then, thank you for your Mana and may you hit the sweet spot every time!

Aloha,
Danielle

P.S. You can also win a dozen Titleist Pro V1X golf balls. Listen to “The Golf Club” for details!

Comments

tiger — Sunday, June 1, 2008

Go Parker Go! Your trip to Marriott's Ihilani looks like fun. We have an amazing crop of Junior golfers again this year. Please keep up the great work keeping us informed. When are you coming to Maui so we can see you live on the radio?

CKUNIOY — Monday, June 2, 2008

Articles informative as usual. Keep up the good work. Looking forward to next month's column.

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