In The Wood
Arnie's Army followed the great Arnold Palmer during his heyday and local boy Lance Suzuki is sure to have a legion of followers cheering him on in the Turtle Bay Championship Oct. 5-7. Lance’s Legion ready
to cheer at Turtle BaySuzuki, who turned 50 in June, has been granted a sponsor exemption and will compete in the $1.5 million Senior PGA event. The winner gets $225,000.
The North Shore tourney is a natural for Suzuki, a graduate of nearby Kahuku High School, who lives down the road in Hauula.
"I'm looking forward to it," Suzuki said this week. "It will be a big event for the North Shore community."
He added that the tourney will be a gauge to see if he is able to compete on this level.Steve Veriato, who was born on the Big Isle and now makes Buta, Texas, his home, is also in the tournament.
The tourney will be held on Turtle Bay's Palmer Course, formerly known as the Links at Kuilima. It was designed by Palmer and Ed Seay.
It is hoped that Palmer will join the tourney field.
Chi Chi Rodriguez, married to the former Iwalani Lum-King of Waimanalo, is another isle favorite officials hope will participate this year.
Gary Player is committed to play and so are five of this year's top 10 senior money winners -- Allen Doyle, who heads the money list, Dana Quigley, Mike McCullough, Jim Thorpe and Jose Maria Canizares.
The defending champ is Hale Irwin. Officials are waiting to hear from him and other stars. The event has been held on Maui for the past 14 years and was known as the Kaanapali Senior Classic.
PRETTY GOOD: Hawaii 11-year-olds Michelle Wie and Stephanie Kono, both Punahou students, made Sports Illustrated's "Faces in the Crowd" column in back-to-back issues this month, Michelle for becoming the youngest winner of the Jennie K. Wilson Invitational and Stephanie for being the youngest player to win the Hawaii State Women's Golf Association Match Play Championship. Stephanie even scored a hole-in-one on the 220-yard, par-4 No. 9 on the way to her win. And of course, last week Michelle added a win in the HSWGA Stroke Play Championship. Thanks to New York Life Insurance ace Bob Corboy, a former Punahou football player, for passing on the S.I. items.
Ben Wood, who played his first round of golf at Ala Wai
50 years ago, vows to learn how to play the game well even if
it takes another 50 years. E-mail him at bwood@starbulletin.com.