Joe L. Root, director of golf at the Big Island's Mauna Kea Resort, was selected Golf Professional of the Year among the 1998 Special Awards winners of the Aloha Section PGA. Mauna Kea’s Root
heads list of golf
award winnersRoot was honored for overall performance, leadership, service and promotion of the game of golf plus performance at his facility, level of service to the Aloha Section and the PGA, and image as a golf professional.
Other awards and the winners were:
Player of the Year: Kevin K. Hayashi, assistant pro at the Hilo Municipal course; Junior Golf Leader: Kellie K. Hines-Pleas, head pro at the Grove Farm course on Kauai; Assistant Professional of the Year: Brendan M. Moynahan, assistant pro at the Kapalua Resort Plantation Course; President's Award: Mark E. Rolfing, NBC Sports golf analyst and PGA member.
Also, Teacher of the Year: Jerry A. King II, assistant pro at the Kapalua Resort Bay Course; Horton Smith Trophy: Chuck A. Larson, teaching pro at the Hickam Mamala Bay course; Bill Strausbaugh Award: Dennis J. Rose, director of golf at the Waikoloa Beach Resort.
And, Merchandiser of the Year: Sam E. Ainslie, director of golf, and John B. Freitas, head pro, at the Hualalai Golf Club in Kaupulehu-Kona (resort); to Greg A. Nichols, head pro at the Waialae Country Club (private), and Todd J. Nicely, director of golf, and David W. Chin, head pro, at the Navy-Marine course.
ROLFING SHOW ON GOLF CHANNEL: The television series Golf Hawaii with Mark Rolfing will be shown year-round on the Golf Channel (Oceanic 25) beginning on Jan. 2 at 3 p.m. After three seasons on ESPN, the magazine-format show will expand from one-half hour in length to a full hour.
TEAM TENNIS WINNERS: The Wailuku Junior Tennis Club Wolfpack (4.0 Division), Bob's Mob (3.5 Division), the Lihue Acers (3.0 -- 12 -- Division) and Bruce Nagel Tennis Academy White (3.0 -- 16 -- Division) topped the standings in the USA Team Tennis Winter Sectional Championships last weekend at the Hilton Turtle Bay Resort and Brigham Young University courts.
Sportsmanship awards went to Harrison Goo of Punahou Anuenue and Katelyn Ching of the Windward Marauders and to Jon Farm of Hawaii Tennis Academy and Alexis Campbell of Somerville and Swain I in the 3.0 divisions; to Ryan Horiuchi of K2TENS and Aria Pacyau of Bob's Mob in 3.5, and to Matt Nakagawa of Get A Grip Juniors and Crystal Shimabukuro of the Barbers Point Slamming Acers III in 4.0.