Cut finger may sideline defending champ Ogilvy

By Fred Guzman

The title of the event may be new, but the PGA Tour tees off today in a familiar place – the picturesque Plantation Course at Kapalua – and with a familiar winners-only format.

Now known as the Hyundai Tournament of Champions, the event will feature some of golf’s top players from around the globe over the next four days over one of the most challenging courses on the pro tour.

Another major change for this year’s tournament is that there is no fees for admission or parking in an effort to encourage move attendance by local folks.

There are also a number of other related events designed to increase interest from spectators who consider themselves fringe fans of the sport.

One other trend that local fans may be wishing for is to finally have an American win the event. That hasn’t happened since Jim Furyk took the title in 2001.

Geoff Ogilvy of Australia is the two-time defending champion, although things didn’t go well for him after leaving Maui last season.

Ogilvy figured he was playing too much, and dramatically cut back on his pre-PGA Tour schedule by playing in just three events over the past three months. Unfortunately for Ogilvy, his status for this week is in serious doubt after he suffered a cut on his right finger that required 12 stitches to close.

The tournament runs through Sunday and the event will receive extensive coverage on the Golf Channel.

MIL ROUNDUP: The much-anticipated soccer showdown between the Baldwin and Kamehameha-Maui girls proved to be a letdown for fans who were looking for a close, exciting match.

Instead, defending champion Baldwin jumped out to a 2-0 lead just five minutes into the game – on goals by Amber-Lei Madriaga and Alyssa Ariyoshi — and cruised to a 4-0 victory before an estimated crowd of 1,000 fans at War Memorial Stadium.

Madriaga closed out a huge night by adding two more goals – in the 30th and 57th minutes – to complete a hat-trick.

The win improved Baldwin’s record to 7-0 for sole possession of first place in the MIL Division-I standings. Kamehameha dropped to 7-1.

In the nightcap of the well-attended double-header, injury-depleted Kamehameha boys twice battled back from deficits to earn a 2-2 tie with Baldwin despite a pair of goals by Nathan Fernandez.

It was a costly result for the Bears, who could have moved into sole possession of first place in D-I with a victory. Instead, the Bears are tied for the league lead with idle Maui High.

In other soccer action yesterday, Maya Palaroan’s goal with 15 minutes remaining lifted the King Kekaulike girls to a 3-2 win over Maui High. Also scoring for Kekaulike were Tyler Corpuz and Janna Duquette. Chelsea Calvert and Tiana Lucas scored for the Sabers.

In basketball action, the Lahainaluna girls continued to steamroll everything in their MIL path with a 72-48 road romp past second-place King Kekaulike. The Lunas also won the boy’s game, 49-30.