Maui High graduate Kelcie Kawano and Kalani graduate Marc Arakaki are the winners of the 2007-08 Monte Ito and Bill Gee Memorial Scholarship Awards. The $1,500 college scholarships honor the late Honolulu Advertiser and Star-Bulletin sportswriters, and recognize "outstanding achievements or potential in journalism and golf, and an appreciation of both."

Kawano will play for the University of Hawai'i in the fall after a career that saw her earn Maui Interscholastic League Player of the Year honors and finish second at the 2007 David S. Ishii Foundation State High School Golf Championship, and the 2006 Hawai'i State Junior Golf Association Tournament of Champions. Kawano also qualified for Junior Worlds and had top-20 finishes at the Optimist International Junior Championship and AJGA First American Title Junior Classic.

In her winning essay, Kawano recalled reading her name in the paper after her first tournament and vowing to work on her game "so my name would not be at the bottom of the list the next time." She hopes to pursue a career in writing and/or computer graphics and animation.

Arakaki also won a $2,500 David S. Ishii Foundation scholarship this year. He qualified for state championships all four years at Kalani, earning all-league honors. He was the Falcons' captain and most valuable player as a senior, when he finished fourth in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association.

Arakaki hopes to join Sean Maekawa, the 2007 state high school champion, on the University of Oregon golf team. Arakaki also found encouragement in the growing media coverage of junior golf and plans to major in political science and journalism, then pursue a career in sportswriting.

The Advertiser and Star-Bulletin sponsor the scholarship awards. The program is administered by the Ishii Foundation.

FUJIKAWA TO PLAY TWICE ON JAPAN PRO TOUR

Tadd Fujikawa's next tournaments will be on the Japan tour. Fujikawa will play the Nagashima Shigeo Invitational Sega Sammy Cup, July 24 to 27, at North Country Golf Club in Hokkaido. The following week he has received an exemption to play in the Sun Chlorella Classic, at the Otaru Country Club in Hokkaido.

Fujikawa, who will be a senior at Moanalua High School, has made his last three cuts after missing 11 straight after turning pro. He won the 50th annual Mid-Pacific Open in April, then finished 48th and 65th in JGTO events last month.

ENTRIES FOR ALOHA SECTION'S JUNIOR PGA

Entries are available for the Aloha Section Junior PGA Championship, June 27 and 28 at Ka'anapali Golf Resort.

Golfers ages 9 and older play 18 holes a day, with those 8-under playing nine. Winners of the 13-18 boys' and girls' divisions join more than 150 of the nation's top junior golfers in the PGA of America's flagship junior event, the Junior PGA Championship, Aug. 13 to 16 at TPC River's Bend in Maineville, Ohio.

The 33rd national Junior PGA Championship is open to one boy and one girl champion from each of the 41 PGA sections. Last year, TJ Kua and Kristina Merkle represented the Aloha Section. Merkle tied for 21st. Former Hawai'i residents Kimberly Kim and Chan Kim also participated with sponsor's exemptions, with Kimberly finishing second and Chan 24th.

Applications are available by calling the Aloha Section PGA at 593-2230 or 877-742-6248 (Neighbor Islands toll-free). Online registration is at aloha.pga.com. Entry fee is $35 for 12-under and $50 for 13-18. Deadline is next Thursday.

PREUS, FAN FINISH IN TOP 20 IN AJGA EVENT

Honolulu's Kalena Preus finished 15th and Pearl City's Michael Fan 16th in last week's AJGA Junior All-Star tournament at The Refuge Golf Club in Lake Havasu, Ariz.

Preus shot 79-73-72—224 to finish 13 shots behind champion AJ McInerney, who won for the second straight year. Fan shot 73-74-80—225. Honolulu's Nick Matsushima (83-83-84—250) was 45th. The field featured 52 boys, ages 12 to 15, from 15 states and Canada.

$12,500 USGA GRANT FOR NORTH KOHALA CENTER

North Kohala Community Resource Center in Hawi received a $12,500 grant from the USGA, which awarded 143 grants worth $2,650,935 to support its annual "For the Good of the Game" initiative.

The initiative supports golf programs for economically disadvantaged juniors and individuals with disabilities. Grant funds are used for instruction, golf course and range access, equipment, transportation and the construction of accessible golf facilities.

KO OLINA WILL OFFER SPECIAL WOMEN'S RATES

As part of the fourth American Express Women's Golf Week, Ko Olina Golf Club will offer special rates to all women golfers this month.

When a woman buys nine holes of golf, a friend can play for free. The offer is good for Ko Olina resort guests after 3 p.m. and kama'aina after 3:30 p.m., with a valid Hawai'i ID. Through tomorrow, women can bring their score cards to Roy's Ko Olina and receive a complimentary souffle. This offer is only valid after 5:30 p.m. To book a time, call 676-5300.

SHORT PUTTS

Noa Galdeira, director of golf at Big Island Country Club, will be on the "Emily Gail Talks Golf & Other Sports" show Saturday at 6 p.m. on ESPN AM850 in Hilo and AM790 in Kona.