Ten Kaua‘i golfers, many of them professionals, will be joined by two off-island golfers when the second of four U.S. Open qualifiers tees off, Saturday at the Wailua Golf Course.
Scott Ashworth, recently named the Marriott’s Golf Professional of the Year for 2009, will be joined by Paul Ito of the Puakea Golf Course and Ron Jones of Lihu‘e in the first threesome that tees off at 7 a.m.
University of Hawai‘i golfer T.J. Kua and Kenneth Kimura of Kapa‘a will be joined by Mark Scheibach of Bermuda Dunes in the 7:09 a.m. threesome.
Thomas Freestone and Ron Castillo Jr., both of Lihu‘e, will be joined by Donald Pakkala of Honolulu in the threesome that tees off at 7:18 a.m.
David Werner of Princeville, Steve Murphy of Koloa and Marvin Terada of Kapa‘a will be in the final threesome that tees off starting at 7:27 a.m.
Jim Seki of Palto Alto, Calif. was the winner of the first U.S. Open qualifier, played May 9 at the Hoakalei Country Club on O‘ahu.
Seki finished the round with a three-under par 69, seven strokes ahead of Alika Bell of Kaneohe and Michael Fan of Pearl City, both golfers finishing in a tie for second place at 76. Kamden Brakel of Acampo, Calif. filled in third place at 78.
Fan will move on to the sectional stage of qualifying with Brakel getting the first alternate nod, according to a Hawai‘i State Junior Golf Association release.
When the threesomes tee off at Wailua, it will be the second of four planned qualifiers for the U.S. Open. These qualifiers are part of approximately 100 planned events around the United States in the next few weeks.
Top players from each local qualifier will advance to one of 13 36-hole Sectional Qualifiers.
At least one player from the 13 Sectional Qualifiers advances directly to the U.S. Open Championship that will be played June 17-20 at Pebble Beach Golf Links in California.
Approximately 90 total qualifying spots will be awarded through the 13 Sectional Qualifier events to fill the championship field of 156 players.
The U.S. Open is one of 13 national championships conducted annually by the United States Golf Association.
Visit www.usga.org, or call the HSJGA at (808) 532-0559 for more information.
