Next week, both University of Hawai'i golf teams will collaborate with Turtle Bay Resort to host the Turtle Bay Resort College Invitational. The tournament features 17 women's teams and 11 men's teams.

Seven of the country's top female golfers will be here. That includes Moanalua graduate Kristina Merkle, a Tulsa freshman ranked No. 10 in this week's GolfWeek/Sagarin rating, and Punahou graduate Stephanie Kono, a UCLA sophomore ranked 16th.

Both squads from UH, Long Beach State, San Diego State, New Mexico State and Santa Clara are in the field. Other women's teams include top-ranked UCLA, No. 5 USC and 10th-ranked Cal. University of British Columbia, from Canada, and Japan's Osaka Gakuin are in the men's field.

The tournament opens with a College-Am Sunday. Entry deadline is today. Format is four amateurs playing with a team's Nos. 1 and 2 golfers.

Tournament rounds are Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, from 7:30 a.m. The men's teams play at the Arnold Palmer Course the first two days and the George Fazio the third, with the women doing the opposite.

Texas won last year when it was just a men's event. This is the first year for women.

Turtle Bay is looking for volunteers for the college invitational and Turtle Bay Resort Hawai'i State Open, Dec. 18 to 20. Call Turtle Bay Golf (293-9094) for more information.

PRO-SCRATCH NEXT WEEK AT PEARL CC

There will be a new team champion in the ninth annual Bridgestone Sports Pro-Scratch Championship, which tees off Monday at Pearl Country Club. The team event has a $10,000 purse for professionals, with $4,000 in merchandise certificates for Amateurs. It ends Tuesday.

Pro Leland Lindsay won with amateur partner Travis Toyama last year, beating brothers Norman-Ganin and Kellen-Floyd Asao by a shot. Toyama has since turned pro and will play this year with Wade Nakamura. Lindsay is not among the 40 pros.

The most intriguing team is pro Joe Phengsavath with 16-year-old Punahou junior Cyd Okino, who has won the last three State Open women's championships.

Matt Pakkala, who won last week's Nike Golf/Golf Concepts 4-Ball championship with Kevin Carll, is teaming with former Warrior Ryan Perez. Kevin Hayashi, the 4-Ball runner-up with Lance Taketa, will go for his third Pro-Scratch title with amateur partner Elton Tanaka. Champions Tour player Dave Eichelberger is entered.

Golfers play a scramble format Monday and best ball Tuesday.