Hawai'i Golf Hall of Famer David Ishii has again been given an exemption to play in the Turtle Bay Championship, next month at the resort's Palmer Course. It is the first full-field Champions Tour event of the season and will be played Jan. 26 to 28.

Turtle Bay Director of Golf Matt Hall said tournament organizers mailed Ishii an invitation before he even asked for an exemption, because of "David's presence in Hawai'i, coupled with what he did last year."

"We feel David Ishii has a legitimate shot in this tournament," Hall added.

Ishii finished 29th last year — in his first Champions Tour appearance — and won enough money to get into the PGA Senior Championship, one of the tour's majors.

"It's like getting into two tournaments," said Ishii, who plans to Monday qualify for some senior events this year. "That makes it a big tournament."

At the other end of the age spectrum, former Big Island resident Kimberly Kim has been granted a sponsor's exemption to play in the LPGA's SBS Open at Turtle Bay. That event opens the LPGA season, Feb. 15 to 17.

Kim, who moved to Arizona last year, became the youngest to win the U.S. Women's Amateur last year when she captured it at age 14. She also finished second in the 2006 U.S. Women's Amateur Public Links Championship.

Kim will be playing her first LPGA event. According to tournament organizers, the field of more than 130 already includes Player of the Year Lorena Ochoa, defending champion Joo Mi Kim and Ai Miyazato.

Turtle Bay also gave exemptions to the winners of The Golf Channel's "Big Break VI: Trump National." Denny Hepler will be in the Turtle Bay Championship and Bri Vega, who edged Kailua's Bridget Dwyer in the women's final, at the SBS Open.