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McLachlin moves up in Publinks

Honolulu's Parker McLachlin shot an even-par-71 yesterday to move up 19 spots at the U.S. Amateur Public Links at Galloway, N.J.

McLachlin is tied for 13th with eight other golfers. The UCLA graduate is 13 strokes behind of Jeffrey Overton of Ind., who shot a 3-under-68 to maintain his lead.

McLachlin is the only golfer from Hawaii to make the cut. Jonathan Ota from Lihue, Troy Higashiyama of Aiea, Gabriel Wilson of Hilo and Jay Kurisu of Wailuku failed to make the cut.

Kajihara qualifies for U.S. Women's Amateur: Lisa Kajihara shot a 4-over-par 76 at Mid-Pacific Country Club yesterday to take the qualifier for the U.S. Women's Amateur Championship in August. The 17-year old from Makawao chipped in for birdie on the 17th hole for a one-stroke lead going into the last hole. Mariko Shimozaki finished a stroke behind and is the first alternate.

Skins Game set for 2004: The Wailea Gold Course will host back-to-back Skins Games next year. The ConAgra Foods Champions Skins Game is set for Jan. 31, 2004 with the LPGA Skins Game following the day after. The golf competitions feature a handful of the world's elite golfers competing for a $600,000 prize. Both tournaments are preceded by an 18-hole pro-am on Jan. 20, 2004.

Alta Vita first overall in Transpac Yacht Race

Alta Vita claimed the King Kalakaua and Governor of Hawaii trophies yesterday with the best overall corrected handicap time in the 42nd Transpacific Yacht Race. With a crew from Hawaii and California, Bill Turpin's Transpac 52 completed the race with an elapsed time of 8 days, 17 hours, 1 minute and 25 seconds. Alta Vita's corrected time was 7:12:20:29.

Turpin's Transpac 52 didn't look like a contender in the early stages of the race after traveling farther south than its competitors in the first three days of the race. But Alta Vita made up time when it turned west and headed toward Hawaii.

"We've been preparing for this since the first of the year," Turpin said. "We were confident."

Irons drops into consolation round

Kauai's Andy Irons lost in the first round of the Billabong Pro at Jeffreys Bay, South Africa, yesterday. Two-time Billabong Pro winner Jake Patterson defeated the reigning world champion in the eighth heat of the day. In 4-foot surf, Patterson scored 14.33 and Irons, a winner in three of five World Championship Tour events this season, came up just short with a score of 13.23.

Irons needed an 8.6 on his final ride to secure a victory but managed just a 7.5. Irons will compete against Warwick Wright, a wildcard entry, in the second round.

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