WATCHING the World Match Play Championship this week, a thought suddenly struck me: what a great international tournament for Hawaii to host. World Golf would be
good match for HawaiiI'm not talking about trying to host the first of the three World Golf Championships, since the La Costa Country Club in Carlsbad, Calif., has the first locked up for next year and 2002 with the 2001 tournament set for Australia, at a site to be named.
Or the second, which is booked at the Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, through 2002.
But the final of the three $5 million WGC match-play events, scheduled in November, is booked at Valderrama, Spain, for only two years. The 2001 tournament will be held in the United States at a site yet to be determined. Then it'll go back to Europe in 2002.
Hawaii might want to put a serious bid to host the 2001 event. The weather here in November, especially on the Big Island, should be ideal. And last I heard, we're still part of the USA.
Besides, there's no guarantee that the PGA Grand Slam will still be around after this year. But having the WGC here the week before might be enough of a piggy-back incentive to convince the PGA of America to keep its grand-slam event here.
MERCEDES CHAMPIONSHIPS: Yes, in case you're wondering, Sunday's winner of the WGC Andersen Consulting Match Play Championship, since it's an official event, will qualify for the Mercedes Championships at Kapalua next January.
With Tiger Woods, David Duval, Ernie Els and Payne Stewart already among the early winners, next year's field again should be a great one. You can also add the champion of the "other" tournament that's being overshadowed this week -- the Tucson Open.
ON THE LOCAL FRONT: There will be some great shot-making locally as well. Some of the state's top amateurs will be playing tomorrow and Sunday at the Makalena Golf Course in the HPLGA 4-Ball Championships.
Among the top teams entered in the stroke-play event are Damien Jamila-Guy Yamamoto, Garret Omuro-Shawn Tanoue, Mark Chun-Steve Yogi, Dick Sieradzki and Larry Byrne and my choice to win, Brandan Kop-Clayton Gomi.
DON'T CRY FOR ME KARRIE. The defending champion and first-round leader of the Australian Ladies Masters, Karrie Webb, lamented that too many of the LPGA Tour stars decided to skip this weekend's event Down Under.
"If the LPGA is prepared to sanction an event, then it would be nice to see some of the top players give more support, but I understand it's a long way to come," Webb said. Among those missing the event are Annika Sorenstam, Se Ri Pak, Meg Mallon, Betsy King, Helen Alfredsson and Liselotte Neumann.
Pak, Mallon and Neumann did play in last week's Sunrise Hawaiian Ladies Open at Kapolei. Guess who didn't support that LPGA event? Karrie Webb.
CORAL CREEK OPENING. The new Coral Creek Golf Course in Ewa Beach will be holding its 18-hole opening Monday morning at 7 with two Gentry Homes officials, Randy Ouye and Tosh Hosoda, having the honors on the first tee.
Monday's tee times for the Robin Nelson-designed course have been sold out until 1 p.m., according to Ed Kageyama, the director of golf. Previously, only the front nine had been opened from Jan. 30.
GO FOR BROKE. The 13th Ganbare Golf Tournament, sponsored by the United Japanese Society of Hawaii, will be held next Thursday (noon shotgun start) at the Pearl Country Club. Net proceeds from the event will go to outstanding students for Japanese language studies at public and private high schools, as well as language schools.
Entry fee is $100, of which $45 is tax deductible. Call the UJSH office at 941-5889 to sign up.