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Posted on: Thursday, September 13, 2001
• Holes in One: A Father's Day to remember
Golf takes a backseat while country mourns
By Bill Kwon
With that catastrophic attack on America by terrorists on Sept. 11, 2001 — another date that will live in infamy and haunt us forever — the world of sports seems so insignificant right now.
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| Golfers, from professionals like Tiger Woods, to local players, reacted with shock to Tuesday morning's terrorist attacks.
Associated Press
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Who can concentrate on Roger Clemens trying to run his record to 20-1 or Barry Bonds' bid to break Mark McGwire's home run record? Or if the University of Hawai'i football team can start the season 2-0 and the Minnesota Vikings can go 0-2? And Ichiro who?
Not after our emotions were turned upside down at the horror we saw and will never forget in New York and Washington, D.C., in the bloodiest day in American history.
Golf, in particular, seems to be the most trivial of pursuits in view of what happened Tuesday when America literally came to a standstill. Golf has always been viewed negatively, as if playing a round needs an excuse, particularly for political leaders.
The sport was a no-no in South Korea after Kim Dae-jung took over as the reform president. And former Japanese prime minister Yoshiro Mori was criticized and lost a lot of votes because of not stopping his appointed round after being told about the sinking of the Ehime Maru.
Contrast Mori with Lyle Nelson, former military writer of the Star-Bulletin. He and I were playing on the front nine at the Barbers Point golf course the morning (Hawai'i time) when President John Kennedy was assassinated. Nov. 22, 1963 — another date that will live in infamy.
A military policeman came up to us and said to the only one who could possibly be named Nelson, "Sir, the president was shot. Your office said to come back as soon as you can."
We left without completing the hole, somber at the news, and trying to get bits of more information on the car radio on the long drive back to town from 'Ewa. There was no CNN in those days, only the clatter of a teletype machine.
The Barbers Point golf course still belongs to the Navy and it, along with all the other military courses on O'ahu — Hickam, Leilehua, Kalakaua, Ft. Shafter (Nagorski Course), Navy-Marine and Kane'ohe Klipper — are closed indefinitely due to the terriorist attacks. All military bases are at "Threat Condition Delta" — the highest possible alert.
Because of the heightened security, the 54-hole Hickam Invitational, scheduled to start tomorrow at the Air Force's Mamala Bay Course, has been postponed until November or December, it was announced yesterday.
"It's a good decision," said Brandan Kop, a two-time champion who had entered the event again. "There aren't that many tournaments that time of the year. I really didn't want to play anyway. Golf is not that important right now."
So many questions are still unanswered and we still need a period of mourning for the many lives lost. So the fun and games must stop for now until a sense of normalcy returns. We will never be the same again. But then the games must resume. They have to. We all need an escape from the harsh realities of an even more troubled world.
We need to vent some of the anger and anguish in us. For me, I would like to do so by whacking that little white ball around. And it is usually a lot of times in one round.
State golf returns to O'ahu
For the first time in 21 years, the Hawai'i High School Athletic Association state golf championships will be played on O'ahu in 2002. The girls will hold their tournament May 9-10 at the Hawai'i Prince Course, while the boys will compete at Leilehua, May 14-15. Both events are sponsored by the David S. Ishii Foundation.
It was in 1981, at the Ala Wai Golf Course, when the state tournament was last held on O'ahu. Campbell High's Ralden Chang took individual honors, while Iolani won the team championship. Chang and Iolani successfully defended their titles the following year at the Kaluako'i Course on Moloka'i. Philip Chun, Darryl Inaba and Kevin Tsuda played on both championship teams for Iolani, coached by George Kuwada.
"We're fortunate that more courses are popping up on O'ahu," said HHSAA executive director Keith Amemiya, who hopes to make it a four-island rotation with Kaua'i, Maui and the Big Island. He thanked Hawai'i Prince general manager Ted McAneeley and Army's director of golf Mike Iyoki for making their courses available for three days, including a practice round.
Irwin heads to North Shore
Hale Irwin, the most successful golfer in Senior PGA Tour history, has committed to play in the inaugural $1.5 million Turtle Bay Championship, Oct. 5-7, at the resort's Arnold Palmer course (formerly Links at Kuilima).
The 78-man field now includes more than half of this week's Top 10 money winners — Allen Doyle, Jim Thorpe, Dana Quigley, Mike McCullough, Ed Dougherty and Irwin. Isao Aoki has also committed to play.
Chi Chi Rodriguez and George Archer also plan to play at Turtle Bay. Rodriguez's wife, Iwalani (Lum-King), is from Waimanalo. Archer will celebrate his 62nd birthday during his practice round Oct. 1.
Admission is $10 daily for the tournament, with practice and Pro-Am rounds Oct. 1-4 free.
News and notes
• Carl Matthews won the Ohana hearing Care Senior Open Monday. He shot 72-68i140 at Hawai'i Prince Golf Club to finish at 4-under par. Kaua'i's Dan Nishimoto was second at 72-72-144. Matthews, a Mid-Pacific Country Club pro, plans to go to Florida next month to try and qualify for the Senior PGA Tour.
• Reigning Manoa Cup champion Ryan Koshi, Joe Phengsavath and Del-Marc Fujita will represent Hawai'i in the USGA State Team Championships at the Hazeltine National Golf Course in Minnesota, Oct. 23-25.
• Rodney Botelho was named Hawai'i sales representative for the Trinity Golf Company in Tustin, Calif., makers of the nationally advertised Stiletto II drivers. He will be on hand at a demonstration day at Hickam's Mamala Bay Course Sept. 22, starting at 9 a.m. For more information, call Botelho at 488-2450.
• The 17th Danny Kaleikini Foundation Golf Tournament will be held at Honolulu Country Club, Oct. 9, with a shotgun start at noon. Entry fee is $75 a person, $525 team for the one- and two-best ball format. For more information, call 533-4572.
Posted on: Thursday, September 13, 2001
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