Charlie King and "King Auto Group" is the title sponsor for the Pro-Junior Skills Challenge event at the 2011 Sony Open. This is their 5th year at the Sony Open, and the event takes place on Tuesday, January 11, 2011 at 4:10 p.m. at the Waialae Country Club's 18th hole. The event benefits the Hawaii State Junior Golf Association (HSJGA). This year the six junior golfers are Alex Chiarella, Allisen Corpuz, Cyd Okino, Ryan Kuroiwa, Scotty Yamashita and Kota Kagasaki "Little Tiger" (photo below) from Japan. Kota received his first set of clubs from his father on his 8th birthday. He said he's not a big fan of golf, but prefers sports like Sumo and American football. However, he wants to fo
llow in Tiger Woods' footsteps, hoping to beat his records by the time he's 18. His dream as he told Woods, is that he plans to outscore him at Japan's Narita Golf Club. The six junior golfers will be partnered with six PGA Tour professionals. The six PGA Tour professionals are Jerry Kelly (2002 Sony Open Champion), Steve Stricker , Fred Funk, Zach Johnson (2009 Sony Open Champion), Matt Kuchar (#1 on the PGA Tour Money List) and Ricky Barnes. It was great weather for the 13th Annual Sony Open and the Pro-Junior Skills Challenge. Today's event began with staged photo shoots, Kamehameha Schools Band & Choir, Skydivers from Skydive Hawaii including Dave Marr, Golf Channel Broadcaster who dared to jump, the Pro-Junior Skills Challenge, Hula Preservation Society performance, Hawaiian Cultural specialist Manu Boyd and ending with the Awards presentation. The Skills Challenge includes a 128-yard Miracle Shot sponsored by Monarch Insurance; Bunker Shot sponsored by Kraft Foods in Hawaii; Chip Shot; and the Challenge Putt sponsored by King Auto Group.
This year's winners of the King Auto Group Pro-Junior Skills Challenge are PGA Pro Matt Kuchar (#1 on the PGA Tour money list) and Maui's junior golfer Alexander Chiarella who all decided to go for a 23 foot Challenge Putt and won by one point 34 (photo above) with Mary Bea Porter-King, president of the HSJGA and Charlie King. The other pairs were Ricky Barnes & Ryan Kuroiwa came in second with 33, Fred Funk & Allisen Corpuz came in third with 13, and Steve Stricker & Kota Kagasaki came in fourth with 12, Jerry Kelly & Cyd Okino came in fifth with 11, and Zach Johnson & Scotty Yamashita came in sixth with 8 points. For these young golfers, it is an experience that will stay with them for a lifetime. Click here to see more photos,
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