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Sports Watch

By Bill Kwon

Friday, June 9, 2000

GOLF WATCH

Stroke victim Chun
making his way back

WELCOME back, Mark Chun. Even if it was just caddying by driving a golf cart to tote Art Fujita's bag in the Manoa Cup for a day, it was good to see Chun at a golf course once again.

Chun's golfing buddies and friends weren't the only ones stunned when he suffered a mild stroke last December. So was he.

"I was totally stunned," said Chun, who didn't think at 39 he'd be a victim of a stroke. "I had these severe headaches and couldn't walk without grabbing onto something. I didn't know what was happening," he said.

He's slowly, but progressively recovering after undergoing rehabilitation sessions for three months.

"Who would have thought that I had to learn how to walk again at my age?" he said.

Chun is doing personal rehab now and spends hours walking Waikiki Beach. He still gets dizzy spells and can't drive an automobile yet.

But he had to show up at the Oahu Country Club this week to watch the Manoa Cup.

Chun saw Fujita, still a trim and spry 66, carrying his own bag in walking OCC's hills. "He saw me struggling," Fujita said, "and volunteered to be my caddy. It was very nice of him."

Manoa Cup contestants have to walk but they can have caddies driving carts with their golf bags.

Used to only walking himself, Chun found it strange to be driving a golf cart. Even then he had to take it a little easy.

Still, he is looking forward to playing golf once again.

"I'll be back in 2001," Chun said.

CHANGE PAYS OFF:

The decision by the Oahu Country Club to move the Manoa Cup a month earlier to avoid a conflict with local qualifying for the U.S. Men's National Public Links qualifying definitely has paid off. "We've had one of the biggest turnouts in five or six years," said tournament director Jay Hinazumi. "One hundred twenty tried to qualify on Monday." And one of its best fields, according to Andrew Feldmann, OCC's head pro.

KAANAPALI STILL KICKING:

Despite a Golf Week item recently, the death of the Kaanapali Classic has been greatly exaggerated.

AmFac has signed a two-year contract with the PGA Tour for tournaments in the first week of October -- two weeks earlier than usual -- for 2001 and 2002.

The company is looking for a title sponsor to replace EMC, which is ending a three-year deal after this year's Senior PGA Tour event Oct. 20-22 at its Kaanapali North Course.

AmFac has guaranteed the $2.4 million purse if no title sponsor is found.

YOU GO, GIRLS:

Check the ages of several of the local qualifiers for the U.S. Women's Public Links Championships in North Carolina July 4-9:

Two of the Oahu qualifiers are 10-year-old Michelle Wie and Zyra Suyetsugu, who's 12. Another, Merryn Ito, will be a senior at Aiea High School, while Angela Apelu just completed the ninth grade at Radford High.

Hilo's Leah Whiting and Kelly Nakashima of Wailuku, Maui, are 15 and 13, respectively. The Garden Island's lone qualifier, Rachel Kyono, 16, will be a senior this fall at Kauai High School.

Kathy Cho, who will transfer from UH to the University of Oregon this fall, and Rose Pagan, 49, of Kahului, Maui,iwill have to act as chaperones.