WAIKOLOA, Hawaii -- The "FORE"cast at the Waikoloa Beach & Golf Resort shows an exciting lineup of tournament opportunities in 2006 for locals and guests to enjoy a world-class golf experience on the golden Kohala Coast of Hawaii’s Big Island. The resort’s two championship courses, The Kings’ Course and The Beach Course, share land and seascapes with a host of historical and cultural landmarks, making the resort among the most unique golf destinations on Earth.

Big Island Film Festival – May 17, 2006/ Kings’ Course
The Big Island Film Festival will kick off with a golf tournament at the Waikoloa Kings’ Course on Wednesday, May 17, 2006. The tournament will be a two-man best ball format with an entry fee of $170 that includes green fees, continental breakfast and lunch. Prizes will be awarded for closest to the pin and top scores. All proceeds from the tournament will go to Project ALS, which is a non-profit organization dedicated to finding a cure for ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease), finding an effective treatment for people living with ALS and raising awareness about ALS.

2006 US Open Local Qualifier – May 22, 2006 / Beach Course
Golfers vying for a slot in the 2006 US Open will first compete at the Waikoloa Beach Course in an 18-hole local qualifying tournament. Successful qualifiers and exempt golfers at the local level will move on to a Sectional Qualifying, 36-hole-event. From there, it’s onwards to the 72-hole 106th U.S. Open Championship, which takes place June 15 – 18, 2006 at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, New York.
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Dolphin Days Golf Invitational – June 24, 2006 / Kings’ Course
The playful dolphins at Hilton Waikoloa Village Dolphin Quest Learning Center were the inspiration behind Waikoloa Beach & Golf Resort’s annual Dolphin Days weekend festival. The star-studded, 4-person scramble tournament culminates the same evening with "The Great Waikoloa Food, Wine & Music Festival." The festival will feature dozens of Hawaii’s best chefs and over 25 wine, beer and spirit distributors, world-class jazz and an outstanding pyrotechnics show. Proceeds benefit Hawaii Shriners Hospitals for Children and the Pacific Marine Life Foundation.

USGA Women’s Amateur Qualifier – July 5, 2006 / Beach Course
On July 5, 2006 women will compete in an 18-hole stroke play USGA qualifying tournament on Waikoloa’s Beach Course. The tournament will be held for female amateur golfers with a handicap of 5.4 or less and will determine who will move on to compete in the USGA Championship, which will be held August 7 – 13 at the Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in North Plains, Oregon.

Cindy Rarick Junior Golf Invitational – July 23, 2006 / Kings’ Course
The 15th Annual Cindy Rarick Waikoloa Junior Invitational, sponsored by the Hilo Junior Golf Program, showcases junior players from across the Hawaiian islands with a focus on putting, chipping, driving, and tournament competition. Cindy Rarick, LPGA, former UH Manoa Women’s Golfer and Waikoloa Representative donates prizes, including items such as golf bags, visors, caps, golf balls, back packs, duffel bags, golf clubs and more, for the junior winners. Over 100 juniors ages 8 to 17 typically compete. Participation is open to Big Island, Oahu, Kauai, Maui, Kona and Waikoloa Jr. Golf Associations.

Waikoloa Women’s Golf Challenge – October 25 – 29, 2006 / Kings’ Course
Once a year the Waikoloa Beach & Golf Resort becomes a haven for women who want to enjoy an exciting weekend of golf, camaraderie and relaxation in the golf capital of Hawaii. The 5th annual Waikoloa Women’s Golf Challenge is a two-day tournament wrapped in exciting events and unique amenities including evening socials, interaction with Waikoloa’s LPGA touring professional, Cindy Rarick, spa treatments, dolphin encounter, world-class shopping, Hawaiian entertainment and blissful relaxation. Proceeds benefit the Hawaii State Women’s Golf Foundation, and its efforts to promote women in the sport of golf along with the Waikoloa Foundation, which perpetuates Hawaiian Culture by ensuring that authentic Hawaiian experiences are available to both visitors and residents.

All tournament events are free and open to the public for viewing. For event information, call Waikoloa’s Director of Golf, Dave Pritchett, at (808) 886-5172.
Those interested in participating in the listed events may visit www.waikoloabeachreosrt.com
Should say something to the effect that they can sign up on line for some of these events by going to our website or they can call the golf shops directly.

The Waikoloa Beach & Golf Resort is located on the Kohala Coast of the Big Island, the Golf Capital of Hawaii. The 7,064-yard, par 72 Scottish-links style Kings’ layout is a classic championship course. The design incorporates six major lakes, wide undulating fairways, 83 well-positioned pot bunkers and a double green at holes 3 and 6.

The Waikoloa Beach Resort is also home of the Robert Trent Jones Jr. Beach Course. Winding its way through ancient lava fields along the breathtaking Kohala coastline, the Beach Course was literally carved from the lava flow along the picturesque Anaeho’omalu Bay.

The natural tropical beauty of the Kohala Coast combined with the rich history of Hawaiian culture comes together at Waikoloa Beach Resort. As a master-planned community on the Kohala Coast, Waikoloa Beach Resort has the perfect vacation combination of relaxation and recreation in a spectacular setting. With two world-renowned luxury hotels, 414 resort condominiums, a 75,000-square-foot Kings’ Shops shopping and dining entertainment complex and two championship golf courses – Waikoloa Beach Resort is the ultimate vacation destination on the Big Island of Hawaii.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Sharla Montvel-Cohen or
Erin Guernsey
Becker Communications
(808) 533-4165