Professionals Greg Meyer of the Pearl Country Club and Ron Castillo Jr. of the Hapuna Golf Club and amateur Ryan Koshi, a University of Hawaii sophomore, qualified yesterday for the 1998 United Airlines Hawaiian Open Feb. 9-15 at the Waialae Country Club. Three qualify
for Hawaiian OpenMeyer shot a 3-under-par 69, Castillo a 71 and Koshi a 70 in a local qualifying round at Waialae.
They join Aloha Section Player of the Year Joe Root in the star-studded Hawaiian Open field.
Pro alternates are Rodney Acia and Michael Castillo, who each shot a 72. Amateur alternates are Shane Hoshino, who had a 71, and Regan Lee, who shot a 72.
Murobayashi comes up roses with son's Football Fever picks
Clayton Murobayashi was surprised and delighted to win $500 in this week's Football Fever contest.But he quickly pointed out that it was actually his 15-year-old son, Ryan, who made nine of 10 correct predictions for him on the ballot.
"It will help me buy him a nice Christmas gift and provide spending money will come in handy for him when we go to the Rose Bowl," said Murobayashi, president of Unitek Insulation.
Ryan is a saxophone player who will march with the Mililani High School band in the annual parade in Pasadena, Calif.
Murobayashi will also bring his wife, Debbie, and son, Blaine, 10, with him on the trip that will involve a stop in Las Vegas.
Murobayashi was one of 21,119 entries this week in the Football Fever contest.
He qualified for the random drawing by having a record better than the best record posted by a member of the celebrity panel.
This week that belonged to KITV's Shawn Ching (7-3).
Ching also leads in the season standings for the celebrity panelists, with an 88-59 record. Star-Bulletin sports editor Joe Edwards in next at 84-63.
THIRD STRAIGHT STAR HONORED: Hilo shortstop Adam Kennedy was named the Hawaii Winter Baseball Player of the Week of Dec. 1-7, giving the streaking Stars three consecutive weekly selections.
Kennedy batted .355 in the leadoff spot for the Stars, scoring 10 runs, driving in nine, hitting two homers and stealing two bases.
Hilo teammates Emar Fleming and Paul O'Malley were the previous two players of the week.
FAERBER CAPS 25TH YEAR AT UH: The University of Hawaii women's cross-country team wound up Johnny Faerber's 25th season as head coach last month with a 24th-place finish in an NCAA Regional meet.
IN-LINE HOCKEY PLAYOFFS: The Mililani In-line Hockey Association's fall season playoff tournament will be capped by Championship Family Day Saturday, when the title game in each of four age-groups -- Squirt, Pee Wee, Bantam and Midget -- will be played, starting at 7:30 a.m., and a potluck will follow the awards ceremony.
SEARS HILO GOLF ON TAP: Professionals will shoot for a $12,000 purse and championship flight amateurs will play for merchandise certificates totaling $2,500 in the 1998 Sears Hilo Invitational golf tournament Jan. 9-11 at the Hilo Municipal Course.
A 36-hole pro-am will be played on Jan. 9-10 and the 36-hole championship on Jan. 10-11.
Professional David Ishii will conduct a clinic at the Muni Driving Range at 5 p.m., Friday.
Entry forms are available at golf courses throughout the state. They must be received by Friday, Dec. 26. For more information, call the Muni Pro Shop, 959-9601.