Wesley Wailehua, Executive Director / C.E.O. – Aloha Section PGA & Foundation talks about the Mauna Lani Resort Hawaii State Open: Friday, December 16- Sunday December 18. This is Hawaii’s most prestigious and historic golf event of the year of professionals and amateurs.The Aloha Section PGA in partnership with Mauna Lani Resort present a first class 54 hole stroke play tournament including a Pro-Am raising funds for the Aloha Section PGA Foundation.Tom Sursley, Mauna Lani Director of Golf and Nao Tomashiro, Mauna Lani Director of Golf Operations, and their team at the Francis H. I'i Brown North and South will host a full field of four divisions: Men’s Open, Men’s Senior Open, Women’s Open, and Men’s A-Flight. Last year, Nick Mason won over Parker McLachlin in a five hole sudden death play-off for his third Hawaii State Open Championship. Past champions include 1987 U.S. Open Champion Scott Simpson and local favorites Japan PGA touring professional David Ishii and PGA Tour player Dean Wilson. David is the only player to have won both the Hawaii State Open and the Hawaiian Open.The Hawaii State Open is one of Hawaii’s oldest tournaments and has an interesting history. According to the Aloha Section PGA web site, it began in 1974 as a revival of the original Hawaiian Open which began in the 1920's to determine the best golfer in the Islands.Great players from the mainland were invited to compete and did so for more than 30 years. Because of the diversity of players and the boost in economy from these events, three former Waialae Country Club presidents, Ken Brown, John Bellinger and Francis Wright asked the PGA Tour in 1965, to add the Hawaiian Open as a regular stop on the PGA Tour.Although this was a great commercial success, it restricted Hawaiian pros and amateurs from participating in the Hawaiian Open, since now to play in the event, you had to be a playing member on the PGA Tour. So for a few years there was not a premier event for Hawaiian players.The tournament was revived in 1974 and it was called the Hawaii State Open with same mission: to find the best golfer in Hawaii with the Ted Makalena perpetual trophy after Makalena who was the first Hawaii resident to win a PGA Tour event – the 1966 PGA Tour Hawaiian Open.In 1976, a women’s division was added. In 1989, a senior division was added. It was run by the Oahu Junior Golf Association until 1993 when it was taken over by the Aloha Section PGA and in 2006 the Aloha Section PGA Foundation took over and has full fields each year.

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