| Posted on: Thursday, November 8, 2001
Around the Greens
Konishiki tourney big hit
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| New York Met Benny Agbayani, right, is swimming in a Konishiki-sized shirt provided by the former sumotori, left.
Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser
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By Bill Kwon
Participants in the Bon Ami, Konishiki Kids charity golf tournament at the Ko Olina Golf Club finished in time Sunday to watch the Arizona Diamondbacks' exciting seventh-game victory in the World Series over the New York Yankees.
Two golfers had more than a passing interest in the outcome — New York Mets outfielder Benny Agbayani, who played in last year's World Series, and Sid Fernandez, another Met of World Series past.
Both thought it was an incredible World Series and both did not feel sorry that the Yankee dynasty came to an end in the desert.
As Benny explained, Met fans are never Yankee fans.
"If anybody says they're a Mets fan and a Yankees fan, don't believe them. They're never both," he said.
In his years of living in the Big Apple, Agbayani has come to realize that Met fans also always seem to root for the Jets while the Yankee fans seem to prefer the Giants when it comes to favorite National Football League teams.
"I'm still a Met," said Agbayani despite rumors that he might be traded during the offseason. He's recovering from a hand injury that required surgery.
He missed the final month of a disappointing and frustrating season, breaking a bone in his right hand while trying to check his swing on a 98-mph fastball from Brad Penny of the Florida Marlins.
"I'm rehabbing right now," said Agbayani, who is home until January.
Part of his rehabilitation really doesn't include golfing, according to Agbayani, who doesn't have a golf handicap. "At least not until I get better," he said.
In fact, added Agbayani, who borrowed Konishiki's set of Callaway clubs for Sunday's benefit outing, "The team doctors don't want me to golf, but this is for a worthy cause."
Agbayani and Fernandez traded telephone numbers after "El Sid" told Benny he would gladly volunteer to throw batting practice any time at the University of Hawai'i's newly named Les Murakami baseball stadium.
"Hit off you? I don't know. I heard about your curve ball," Agbayani said.
"Nah, just straight BP," Fernandez replied.
One thing Fernandez can definitely do is give Agbayani a few tips on golf. The former Met left-hander plays to a 2-handicap at the Mid-Pacific Country Club.
Other celebrity friends joining the two baseball players included entertainer Danny Kaleikini, chef Sam Choy, who sports an 8-handicap and just shot an even-par 72 at Mauna Lani two weeks ago, and actor Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa. "I just act at golf," the latter said.
Konishiki, or Salevaa Atisanoe, didn't play but went around the golf course to encourage and thank everyone for their participation. The tournament raised more than $30,000 for the Konishiki Kids Foundation. Konishiki's mawashi or ceremonial apron was purchased for $10,000 by the Ko Olina Resort & Marina.
"I just golf for fun and relaxation," said the 660-pound Konishiki, who retired in 1997 after a 16-year career that included becoming the first foreigner to attain the sumo rank of ozeki or champion.
Golf is no stranger to Konishiki, who first began playing the game as an elementary school student at Barbers Point, where his father, Lautoa Atisanoe, worked.
Konishiki divides his time between Hawai'i and Japan, but added, "Nanakuli is my home. The only home I have."
He is also helping youngsters living on the Wai'anae Coast with the non-profit foundation he started in 1997. Since then, 150 kids from the area have visited Japan through his foundation and another 35 have been selected for the next cultural trip in January.
"That's my focus right now. I just wanted to bring something to my community and find a way for kids to have fun and education at the same time," he said.
Another fun tournament
It went pretty much unpublicized, but some of the state's top Aloha Section PGA professionals and amateurs played in a 36-hole Pro Scratch tournament that ended Tuesday at the Pearl Country Club.
The tournament format called for a two-man team competition with the amateur also playing to a zero handicap. The first day was a scramble, the second round was bestball.
The tournament was the brainchild of Del-Marc Fujita, who represents the Bridgestone division of Servco.
"I've been wanting to do it for the past five years, involving the Aloha Section," Fujita said. "There's no other tournament like it. The guys had a lot of fun. We hope to make it a yearly thing."
Winning the inaugural event were Kevin Carll, Aloha Academy of Golf teaching pro at the Ko'olau Golf Course, and Army sergeant Mike Withrow, a 2-handicapper.
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