PGA TOUR, Hawai’i Tourism Authority Extend Partnership Four Years

By Sonia Isotov

The PGA TOUR and Hawai’i Tourism Authority (HTA) announced a four-year extension of their Official Marketing Partnership that will continue to help promote the state’s golf industry through 2014.

“The Hawai’i Tourism Authority is very excited to announce the extension of our partnership with the PGA TOUR,” said Mike McCartney, HTA President. “The TOUR brings the best golfers in the world to the best destination during a time of year when our key markets are covered in snow and Hawai’i can broadcast over 20 hours of warm weather and breathtaking natural resources. The energy of the season-opening event on Maui coupled with the 3D broadcast during the Oahu event provides viewers a very intriguing perspective of our beautiful destination.”

The PGA TOUR and Champions Tour again open their respective 2011 seasons with two events in Hawai’i: the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, featuring PGA TOUR tournament winners from 2010, begins Thursday at Kapalua on Maui, followed by the Sony Open in Hawai’i in Honolulu on Oahu. The Champions Tour season begins Jan. 17-23 with the Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalai on Hawai’i. The following week, the Kaanapali Champions Skins Game is held in Lahaina on Maui.

In November, Hyundai was introduced as the new title sponsor through 2013 at Kapalua, where the PGA TOUR season has opened since 1999. That tournament will have a new look and feel this week with a new title sponsor, the adaptation of its Tournament of Champions moniker, and a new host organization in the foundation established by broadcaster Mark Rolfing and wife Debi, which is focused on bringing new elements to the tournament and highlighting its unique stature of fielding only champions from the previous PGA TOUR season.

The first PGA TOUR tournament held in Hawai’i was the 1965 Hawaiian Open at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, which was won by Gay Brewer. The first Champions Tour event in the state was held in 1987 at the Royal Kaanapali Golf Club North Course, won byOrville Moody.