Friday, July 30, 2010
Friday, July 30, 2010
HAWAII’S LOCAL GOLF SEASON KICKS OFF AT PEARL
January is the beginning of the U.S. golf season and PGA Tour starts it in Hawaii. It’s not out of the generosity of the PGA Tour. It’s because the sponsors, the Sony Corporation and SBS, Mitsubishi Electric and Wendy’s, like it here. We are very fortunate. Hopefully those sponsors will want to keep the events here.
After the Christmas holiday with family, for me, January means “holiday” time with friends I see only once a year when the “Tour” rolls into “town”.
First stop. Maui. Kapalua. The tournament of champions-only now called the SBS Championship.
Some PGA Tour players had been looking forward to this event since the season started, including defending champion Geoff Ogilvy. It was well worth the wait for Ogilvy. He walked away with the trophy for a second year in a row and said, “One of the benefits of winning this tournament is knowing I get to come back.”
| Audio Clip (.swf) |
| Ogilvy talks about how glad he is to have defended his title |
Ogilvy and 27 other players didn’t have to worry about a cut and they all earned a nice paycheck. But then there’s the whipped cream on top. That would be having the whole family in Hawaii for a week or more and playing the season openers in the sun blessed, wonderful state called Hawaii.
While the Mainland is freezing cold day and night, the lowest temperature in Hawaii is in the early morning hours. About 64 and clear and maybe that’s why the Australians do so well at Kapalua. They’re already thawed out and warmed up when they come in from “down under” where it’s summer anyway.
And while winning is everything once the tournament gets underway, having fun with family and friends is top of mind.
Bubba Watson, who played in the Sony Open in Hawaii before coming so close to winning on the first stop on the West Coast swing at the Bob Hope Classic, spent a lot of his free time “free diving” on Oahu’s south shore. In Watson’s case, that meant doing cannonballs off the rocks into the warm Pacific Ocean.
It’s just that kind of pace when the Tour players and their families in Hawaii. Relaxing in the sun at the pool, whale watching, playing with the kids in the sand or taking in the sights from a tour helicopter are just some of the ways the PGA Tour players and their families spend quality time during their stay.
Truth be told, I love January because of my friends are coming to town AND I look forward to my annual trek to Maui to broadcast “The Golf Club” from the SBS Championship.
This is also a chance for Hawaii’s top players to mix it up at the Kapalua Pro Am, an $11,000.00 ticket, by the way. Just days before playing in the Sony Open in Hawaii, and giving a free clinic at the Waikoloa King’s Course, Waikoloa’s Parker McLachlin in the Pro Am.
CHECKING IN AT MAKENA
The view from my room checking into the Makena Beach Hotel.
My home away from home has become the Makena Beach these last several years. I love the location, close to the State 'Ahihi Kina'u Natural Area Reserve and yet not too far from the best pizza on the island in Wailea.
The Makena Beach Hotel is where I lay my head down. Their bed is as good as mine. The last thing I want is to come home from a long weekend just to need a good night sleep. The food is wonderful at Makena. The view is spectacular. But the first thing we have to do is scope out our broadcast site at Kapalua, so why don’t I take you on a tour of our broadcast day.
We arrive at Kapalua Resort’s Plantation Course clubhouse, and head down to the media room.
| Audio Clip (.swf) |
| Click to hear PGA Tour professional Lucas Glover on Tiger Woods return to golf |
We’re on the air at 7 AM and rolling until 8:30 AM. This weekend, my friend of over 10 years, broadcaster and author Bob Bubka, is going to be my co-anchor. He’s been covering the PGA Tour for over 30 years and is a frequent guest via phone from the Masters, the U.S. Open, British Open and PGA Championship and the World Golf Championships.
You can hear the whole show right here with everyone mentioned so far plus Vice President of Kapalua Resort Operations and PGA Tour Wives Association President Amy Wilson
http://www.hernco.com/golfclub/ac10910.htm
“The Golf Club” is live on Hawaii’s 99.5 FM “The Jewel”, KONI 104.3 on Maui, 99.9 FM on Kauai and KPUA in Hilo every Saturday morning and streaming live or archived at http://www.radiogolfclub.com/. Or you can hear it podcast from that website or at iTunes and StitcherRadio, an app for your smart phone.
We’ve been celebrating our 11th year on the air with flyaway giveaway trip to Las Vegas. The winner flies on Hawaiian Airlines to Las Vegas and stays for 4 nights in the fabulous Las Vegas Hilton with a foursome at the Las Vegas Country Club.
Our first lucky lady is Ludi from Kalaheo on Kauai. Our second winner will be drawn at the Hawaii Pearl Open, the first major event of the Hawaii golf season.
FUN ON MAUI
The Makena Golf and Tennis Resort’s Makena North course, beautifully designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr, has a gorgeous view from the 14th tee box. (It’s also the home of Hawaii’s State Senior Champion Kirk Nelson, who I’m sure will share some of his insights to improving your own game.)
The resort has added a feature. If you’d like to get married with that breathtaking view of the Hawaiian Islands, you and your wedding party won’t have to make the trek up in golf carts. The resort will take you to the top for your event in a special trolley.
And if you are hungry at the turn, there is a new snack house called “Hale Kipa” where burgers and hot dogs, are just an order away at the 9th.
You can learn to stand up paddleboard, snorkel, and scuba dive or just take a leisurely swim right below your room at Makena Beach.
Driving into historic Lahaina, we had a great time walking and checking out all of the beautiful places to eat, drink and be happy.
After 48 fabulous hours, it’s not over because we’re meeting on Oahu at the 2010 Sony Open in Hawaii, the first full field event of the PGA Tour season.
WAIALAE HERE THEY COME
It’s like being on vacation and still going to work. That’s the mood everyone is in when they are in Hawaii competing in this first full field PGA Tour event. Add the fact that many of the people who work on the PGA Tour haven’t seen each other in a while, you get a homecoming, of sorts.
Golf Channel and NBC commentator Mark Rolfing had some breaking news to share with us on the show. For the first time, NBC is going to air a travel show featuring Mark Rolfing taking us on journeys through many of the PGA Tour stops. Congratulations Mark!
It was also interesting to hear what the professional golfers had to say about the Tiger Woods situation out of competition with what little information there is to go on. Sony Open in Hawaii 2003 Champion Paul Goydos on Tiger Woods
| Audio Clip (.swf) |
| Click here to find out what Paul Goydos thinks Tiger Woods will learn, or not. |
Inside the media room we set up our broadcast equipment, watching Golf Channel set up outside. No wonder everyone is in such a good state of mind. It’s got to be good working with the ocean and the sky and the earth beneath your feet. But the wind did pick up for a couple of days.
With all the hot golfers we had in the field for the Sony Open in Hawaii, from Rickie Fowler to John Daly to Bubba Watson to Ernie Els and Y.E Yang and all of the winners of all of 2009’s major’s, the “other” Palmer game out on top.
Ryan Palmer had his day in the sun at Waialae, walking away with the trophy. His final chip onto the green came within inches of holing out but still close enough for the victory.
| Audio Clip (.swf) |
| Ryan Palmer talks about how huge this win was for him after three up and down years |
The Sony Open in Hawaii is huge for Hawaii charities, with the Friends of Hawaii Charities getting a matching donation from the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, doubling the income.
This year also saw the PGA Tour Wives Association begin "Blessings in a Backpack" in Hawaii. The program, started five years ago on the Mainland, provides some children with a backpack full of food to take home for the weekend so they don't depend on school meals for food.
HAWAII’S SONY OPEN CONTINGENT
Back at Waialae, the atmosphere is electric at the golf course as thousands of people make the trek to the Sony Open in Hawaii. The sense of nervous anticipation must be huge for the Hawaii players who have this opportunity to play on the big dance floor.
University of Hawaii golf team's T.J. Kua, in the field after winning the local qualifier for Hawaii's top amateurs, was T37 after the first round with a strong 69. He shot a 74 the second day and missed the cut.
This was Hilo Muni's Kevin Hayashi's 9th Sony Open and his first cut made on Saturday. Unfortunately the PGA Tour decided the implement it's second cut option, which Hayashi missed by one stroke on Saturday.
I don't like the PGA Tour second cut option. I believe if you've made it into a PGA Tour event, and you had 2 days to make the cut, one bad day shouldn't eliminate you.
But television brings in the money and deadlines dictate time limitations and therefore the size of the field.
Waikoloa's Parker McLachlin, who also participated in the King Auto Pro Junior Skills challenge in addition to the Pro Am, also missed the cut with a 72-72.
Hawaii's Tadd Fujikawa, who thrilled the grounds with his amazing performance in 2007 and the 62 he shot last year, was in the field on a sponsor exemption. He shot 72-75 and missed the cut.
Just read in Golfweek, Fujikawa will be playing on the eGolf Professional Tour based in North Carolina, which is very close to his swing coach Todd Anderson at Sea Island, Georgia, where Fujikawa will be staying.
Another sponsor exemption went to Hawaii's Dean Wilson. He parlayed that into a T43 and a little over $14,000. Wilson won't have a regular schedule this year without his PGA Tour card. He says his back problems of last year are getting better. I’m a big fan. Hope he’ll join me on “The Golf Club” one of these days soon.
TORN BETWEEN TWO LOVES
While I’m back on Oahu covering the Sony Open in Hawaii, I’m wishing the Wendy’s Champions Tour Skins Game wasn’t being played on the same weekend. It’s not fair to have to choose between the two, particularly with Fred Couples in the show. It should be against PGA Tour regulations but with the economy and the goodness of Wendy’s continuing sponsorship, adjustments must be made.
In the end, it was the team of Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson pulling out the victory, just like they did in 2008. What a year that was, broadcasting from the Wendy’s Skins media center at Ka’anapali and watching Nicklaus and Watson figure out their strategy for the next day. Talk about being inside the ropes.
THE MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CHAMPIONSHIP AT HUALALAI
The golf continues with the first event of the Champions Tour season at Hualalai on the Big Island. 2010 Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin in the field with Fred Couples, and Tom Watson and Peter Jacobsen, who took time out to be on “The Golf Club” radio show before competition began on Saturday. My first interview with Jacobsen was right after his knee surgery two years ago. Since then, he’s had hip replacement surgery and feels like he’s about 80 percent back.
The other guy in the field who recently had hip replacement surgery is the guy who just about won the British Open last year, Tom Watson. He dueled it out with Couples all the way to the final hole and walked away with the win.
And of all the pictures this month I seen, this one below stands out from the Bob Hope Classic. Son picks up where father left off.
It’s close though, after watching the U.S Solheim Cup team take Washington DC by storm, visiting with President Barack Obama. Christina Kim said it was probably the quietest she has been since being born.
Ya think Michelle is having fun on the LPGA Tour? You’ve probably already seen the “Charlie’s Angels” shot.
And just in case you wonder why some of the PGA Tour players head off to remote locales instead of playing in Hawaii, the folks in Dubai have an interesting way of attracting the fellows and it’s not just the appearance money.
Martin Kaymer won.
It’ll be interesting to see who wins the Pearl Open in Hawaii this year.
The PGA Tour may be gone but the Hawaii golf season is just beginning with one of the largest annual events held in the islands at the Pearl Country Club. Professional golfers come to Hawaii from around the world. You may now know this young man who played in the Pearl Open two years in a row before his big break out on the world stage.
I hope we’ll see you at the Pearl Open in Hawaii February13th. It shows how far ahead of his time Mr. Soichi Honda, the founder of the Honda Motor Corporation and the Pearl Open, was when he created this event to attract talented golfers from around the Pacific Rim, both east and west, to Hawaii.
See you “on top” the radio.
Thank you for your Mana and may you hit the sweet spot every time.
Danielle
