MAUI, Hawaii – Feb. 17, 2005 – Kaanapali Golf Courses -- site of back-to-back U.S. Open Local Qualifiers -- has announced it has been selected by the United States Golf Association (USGA) to host a U.S. Open Sectional Qualifier on June 6, 2005.
The prestigious event will be held at Kaanapali's Tournament North Course, designed by one of the fathers of modern golf course architecture, Robert Trent Jones, Sr. The top finishers will receive invitations to play in the 2005 U.S. Open June 13-19 in Pinehurst, N.C. at the Pinehurst Resort and Country Club's vaunted No. 2 course.
Kaanapali's selection to host a Sectional Qualifier comes on the heels of the esteemed resort facility being tapped to host its second straight Local Qualifier. The North Course will host the one-day event on May 14, 2005, in which three players qualified for last year's Sectional event.
"We are extremely excited to host this prominent and important event for the USGA," says Ed Kageyama, General Manager at the Kaanapali Golf Courses and PGA of America Aloha Section President. "We are ecstatic to have received such a positive response from the USGA and we believe Kaanapali serves as an excellent proving ground for players attempting to gain entry into the U.S Open. This celebrated event helps further establish Hawaii as a venue where local players can showcase their talents without having to travel to the Mainland to qualify."
The total number of available spots in the 156-member U.S Open field is determined each year by the number PGA TOUR players who are exempt by way of tournament victories, major wins and position on the money list. Typically, over 7,000 golfers vie for between 70 and 80 openings by playing through a series of qualifying events.
The entry deadline for this event will be announced at a later date and forms will be available online at www.usga.org. Only golfers with a Handicap Index of 1.4 or below are eligible to enter any of the U.S Open Qualifiers.
For more information on any of the U.S Open Qualifiers, please call the Hawaii State Golf Association office at (808)-589-2909 or send an email to HSGA@USGA.org.
About Kaanapali Golf Courses
The 43-year-old Tournament North Course boasts a rich history of hosting both professional and amateur golf tournaments. From 1987 to 2000, the 7,000-yard layout was traversed by professional golf legends Hale Irwin, Chi Chi Rodriguez, Lee Trevino and Tom Weiskopf as the host site of the Senior PGA Tour's Kaanapali Classic. The course - which stretches along the Maui coastline before winding its way to the scenic foothills of the West Maui Mountains -- has hosted the LPGA's Kemper Open, the Canada Cup, and Shell's Wonderful World of Golf.
A 36-hole property, Kaanapali is also home to the highly-decorated Resort South Course. The 6,555-yard, par-71 layout has many holes running along natural canals, gulches and lava rock boundaries. The layout was redesigned in 1976 by architect Arthur Jack Snyder, who created a more forgiving golf course with subtle, undulating greens to craft an experience enjoyed by golfers of all abilities. In 1997, the Resort South Course was recognized as one of North America's Top 175 "Women Friendly" Courses by Golf for Women magazine.
The Kaanapali Golf Courses are managed by Billy Casper Golf ("BCG"), which has provided turnkey-management services since October 2003, helping to restore the courses to pristine condition. BCG owns or operates 50 resort, daily-fee and municipal courses in 18 states and the District of Columbia, including the internationally acclaimed Puakea Golf Course on Kauai.
For more information about Kaanapali Golf Courses, visit www.kaanapali-golf.com, or send an email to play@kaanapali-golf.com
