Seniors grab the spotlight

Hualalai is the site for the best 50-and-over golfers in the world

WHILE THE PGA TOUR'S winners-only event didn't attract all of the game's top names in early January, this week's $1.7 million MasterCard Championship isn't having that problem.

The Champions Tour's equivalent to the Mercedes has nine of last year's top-10 money winners among the 36 golfers taking part in the season-opening event at Hualalai Golf Club.

TEE IT UP MasterCard Championship at Hualalai When: Friday-Sunday Where: Hualalai Golf Course Defending champion: Dana Quigley TV: ESPN

Defending champion Dana Quigley, who defeated Tom Watson in a dramatic three-hole playoff last year, finished first on the Champions Tour in 2005 with $2.17 million in earnings and was named player of the year. He not only won the MasterCard, but finished second a week later to Hale Irwin at the Turtle Bay Championship.

Irwin finished second on the senior circuit with four wins worth $1.98 million. They will renew their rivalry in the island chain, but aren't alone in this star-studded field.

There will be six solid newcomers looking to leave their names on the first-place trophy, including Sony Open in Hawaii participants Jay Haas and Loren Roberts. Also among the first-timers is hall of famer Ben Crenshaw.

Haas and Roberts are coming off good performances at Waialae Country Club. The 50-year-old Roberts finished in a tie for 18th with a four-day total of 276. His 4-under effort was matched by world No. 9 Adam Scott of Australia, proving these guys have got game.

Haas has had enormous success on the PGA Tour the last few years, including his membership on the 2004 Ryder Cup team as a captain's pick. Haas said at last week's Sony that was probably the highlight of a career that could focus a little more on the Champions Tour this coming campaign.

He and his son, Bill, played fairly well at Waialae. Jay Haas wound up in a tie for 59th as he and Roberts used the first full-field tournament of the PGA Tour as a tune-up for the opening two Champions Tour events on the Big Island and Oahu next week at Turtle Bay.

"It seemed like the right thing to do to play the first three weeks in Hawaii," Jay Haas said, who was the Champions Tour rookie of the year. "I got to spend some time with my son and am looking forward to playing the MasterCard. I've heard nothing but good things about the course over there."

Haas managed top-5 finishes in his final five events on the Champions Tour. The 52-year-old played in only 10 tournaments last year, but still managed to finish 15th on the money list ($998,653) with two wins. Roberts was right over his shoulder, finishing 16th ($959,882) with one win in only six appearances.

The 50-year-old Roberts will follow Haas' model and split time between the two tours. He kept his PGA Tour card by finishing 93rd on the money list ($874,300). Haas is exempt for another year because he was a Ryder Cup member.

"I've always enjoyed playing over here," Roberts said. "It was great to keep my tour card and still be able to play in the Champions events when I can. It's really the best of both worlds. Spending all this time in Hawaii is wonderful."

Peter Jacobsen and Craig Stadler also played in the Sony, but missed the cut. Having a little PGA Tour time can't help but get them ready for this week's tournament that has belonged to Quigley, who won last year and lost to Fuzzy Zoeller in a playoff in 2004.

"It was windy all week at Waialae," Stadler said, who tied for ninth at the Sony last year. "It should help in my preparation for the MasterCard."

Other big-name players taking part in this event include Watson, Zoeller, Tom Kite, Curtis Strange, Gary Player and Lanny Wadkins. The only top-10 money winner of a year ago not playing this week is Morris Hatalsky.

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ON THE PGA TOUR

Bob Hope Chrysler Classic

Site: Palm Desert, Calif.

Schedule: Wednesday-Sunday.

Courses: The Classic Club at Northstar (7,305 yards, par 72), Arnold Palmer Private Course at PGA West (6,930 yards, par 72), La Quinta Country Club (7,060 yards, par 72) and Bermuda Dunes Country Club (6,927 yards, par 72).

Purse: $5 million. Winner's share: $900,000.

Television: USA (Thursday-Friday, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Hawaii time) and ABC (Saturday, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.; Sunday 10:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.).

Last year: Justin Leonard won the first of his two 2005 titles, beating Joe Ogilvie and Tim Clark by three strokes. Leonard had a 28-under 332 total.

ON THE WOMEN'S TOUR

Women's World Cup of Golf

Site: Sun City, South Africa.

Schedule: Friday-Sunday.

Course: Gary Player Country Club (6,384 yards, par 73).

Purse: $1.1 million. Winners' shares: $110,000 per player.

Television: The Golf Channel (Friday, 8:30-11 a.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m., 8:30 a.m.-11 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., 8:30 p.m.-1 a.m.; and Monday, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.).

Format: Two-player teams representing 20 countries. Friday, alternate shot; Saturday, best ball; Sunday, stroke play.

Last year: Japan's Ai Miyazato and Rui Kitada won on Fancourt's Links Course in George, South Africa, beating South Korea's Aree Song and Jeong Jang and the Philippines' Dorothy Delasin and Jennifer Rosales by two strokes.

Notes: Annika Sorenstam won 10 times in 20 LPGA Tour starts last year. The Swede has 66 career LPGA Tour victories -- 22 short of Kathy Whitworth's record. She also won a European tour event in Sweden last season for her 13th international victory. ... The 19-year-old Paula Creamer won two LPGA Tour events as a rookie last year and helped the United States win the Solheim Cup. She also won twice in Japan.

PGA TOUR

Money Leaders

1. Stuart Appleby	$1,238,950
2. David Toms	$1,048,000
3. Vijay Singh	$813,600
4. Jim Furyk	$578,950
5. Chad Campbell	$448,800
Rory Sabbatini

Scoring Average

1. Chad Campbell	66.13
Rory Sabbatini
3. Bubba Watson	66.63
4. Nathan Green	66.88
5. Charles Warren	67.63

Driving Distance

1. Bubba Watson	336.3
2. Charley Hoffman	322.0
3. Adam Scott	317.9
4. Camilo Villegas	316.5
5. Charles Warren	316.4

Birdie Average

1. Rory Sabbatini	5.50
2. Tommy Armour III	5.00
3. Charles Warren	4.75
4. Jerry Smith	4.50
David Toms
Chad Campbell
Nathan Green
Bubba Watson

Greens in Regulation Pct.

1. Vijay Singh	75%
Rory Sabbatini
Bubba Watson
4. J.B. Holmes	73.6%
5. Billy Mayfair	72.2%
Loren Roberts
Arron Oberholser
Adam Scott

Link up in Hawaii

JANUARY

» 20-22: MasterCard Championship Hualalai Golf Club. 325-8480.

» 22: Turtle Bay Championship, qualifier for Hawaii professionals only, Turtle Bay Palmer Course. 593-2230.

» 23: Turtle Bay Championship, Monday qualifying, Turtle Bay Palmer Course. 593-2230.

» 25: Playing Ability Test, Kiahuna Golf Club. 593-2230.

» 27-29: Turtle Bay Championship, Turtle Bay Palmer Course. 545-1588.

FEBRUARY

» 5-6: Champions Skins Game, Wailea Golf Resort Gold Course. 875-7450.

» 7: Hawaii Pearl Open, Tuesday qualifier, Pearl Country Club. 487-3802.

» 10-12: Hawaii Pearl Open Championship, Pearl Country Club. 487-3802.

» 16-18: LPGA SBS Classic, Turtle Bay Palmer Course. 293-8574.

Source: 808golf.com

Local aces

NAME	RESIDENCE	COURSE	HOLE	YARDS	CLUB	DATE
Yoshiaki Abe	Japan	Honolulu Country Club	13	154	9-wood	Dec. 18
Lei Takata	Honolulu	Mauna Lani North	14	96	8-iron	Jan. 7
Edward Kim	Kailua	Pearl Country Club	6	154	6-iron	Jan. 9
Glenn Hirayama	Honolulu	Oahu Country Club	7	147	6-iron	Jan. 10
Edith Laeha	Honolulu	Ewa Villages Golf Course	2	90	5-wood	Jan. 12
Ken Chijimasu	Honolulu	Hawaii Prince Golf Course	C7	149	5-iron	Jan. 14

Send aces to rcadiente@starbulletin.com or call 529-4785