At a time when sponsors are shying away — if not fleeing — from golf events, the Kinoshita Pearl Classic is starting in Hawai'i. The inaugural tournament, which is part of the LPGA's Legends Tour, will be Oct. 22 to 25 at Kapolei Golf Course.

There will be 35 golfers, including five sponsor's exemptions from Japan and South Korea. The field, which will be finalized next month, has commitments from Hall of Famers Nancy Lopez, Patty Sheehan and Beth Daniel.

Laura Davies and Val Skinner have also committed, along with former University of Hawai'i golfer Cindy Rarick, who won the first Hawaiian Ladies Open.

"I'm very excited about coming over to play, especially in a Legends event," said Rarick, who represents Waikoloa. "The atmosphere in the Legends tournaments is fun, exciting, and social. Galleries love to see players that they are familiar with. ... And Kapolei will be a great venue for the event."

Hawai'i's Lenore (Muraoka) Rittenhouse, who lives in North Carolina, said she could not come because she is in nursing school.

The purse is $350,000, with a no-cut format. The 36 holes of stroke play will be Oct. 24 and 25. A practice round will be Oct. 22 and the Pro-Am Oct. 23.

Organizers are not sure if admission will be charged. There is not yet a charity partner. A one-hour tournament highlight show will be broadcast on TV Tokyo in November.

"Executive Organizer" is Matsujiro Kawana, who brought the Hawaiian Ladies Open here from 1987 to 2001. Kawana was instrumental in helping the LPGA gain a following in Japan, with the Mizuno Classic, and had a hand in the tour's JAL Classic in New York and Konica Classic in San Jose.

Kawana said this tournament has a three-year contract with an option for a fourth. His goal is to bring the regular LPGA tour back to Hawai'i and he hopes this event will help.

"I'm going to do all I can to bring one back," Kawana said through an interpreter, adding that he finds a season without an LPGA event in Hawai'i "not acceptable ... we need to foster and nurture great American players, particularly from Hawai'i."

Kapolei needs 80 volunteers for the tournament. Those interested should call Ken Terao at 674-2227, ext. 2. Volunteers get a free round of golf, lunch and a shirt. Organizers would like a minimum two-day commitment.

The Legends Tour has been around since 2000. It is open to players 45 and older and has more than 100 members. The tour will stage its first major championship this November. The tour's CEO is former player Jane Blalock. Jan Stephenson leads the tour in career winnings.