ABOUT THE COMPETITION

Five of Hawaii's best junior golfers from Oahu and Maui were selected to participate in the 6th Annual King Auto Group Pro-Junior Skills Challenge on Tuesday, January 10 at 2:45 p.m. at Waialae Country Club's 18th green as part of the 2012 Sony Open in Hawaii. Junior golfers Zachary Takano-Braunthal, Alex Chiarella, Richard Hattori, Lisa Kang, and Eimi Koga will have the unique opportunity to play alongside the likes of PGA TOUR pros Ricky Barnes, 2002 Sony Open Champion Jerry Kelly, 2009 Sony Open Champion Zach Johnson, 2010 Sony Open Champion Ryan Palmer and the 2011 Sony Open Champion Mark Wilson in a fun and friendly competition benefitting the Hawaii State Junior Golf Association (HSJGA).

In order to qualify for the skills challenge, Hawaii junior golfers compete year-round, earning points at each competition sanctioned by the Hawaii State Junior Golf Association. Points are calculated based on their performance. Accolades like Player of the Year also help juniors earn selection for this special honor. The five junior golfers participating include:

• Zachary Takano-Braunthal, a 17-year-old junior at Punahou School who comes off of two strong performances in 2011. In July, Braunthal finished T10 in the W. Duncan MacMillan Classic at Rush Creek Golf Club in Minnesota, scoring rounds of 75-70-73. In October, he scored 69, 67 at the Oahu Junior Classic at Turtle Bay.
• Alex Chiarella who returns to the 2012 event to defend his first place title from the 2011 King Auto Pro-Junior Skills Challenge. Hailing from Maui's Seabury Hall, 17-year-old Chiarella won the 2011 Hali'imaile Tournament of Champions shooting a 66 and 70, with nine birdies in the first round. Besides golf, he plays varsity basketball, plays in the school band, and writes for his school newspaper.
• Richard Hattori, the 2011 Hawaii State Junior Golf Association Player of the Year for the 15-18 age group, is a junior at Kalani High School. Hattori scored an impressive 65 at Kaanapali Golf Course earlier this year, and has scored 8 hole-in-ones in his junior golf career.
• Lisa Kang, a 16-year-old sophomore at Mid-Pacific Institute, was awarded Hawaii State Junior Golf Association Player of the Year for the 15-18 age group. Most notably, Kang scored a 74 and 71 at the Power Balance Tour Championship in Bradenton, Florida in March.
• Eimi Koga, this year's Hawaii State Championship winner, is an 11th grader at Moanalua High School. In 2011, she won her second consecutive OIA Championship and placed 3rd in the Callaway Jr. World tournament, shooting 4 under par.

Playing in the Pro-Junior Challenge is a goal Hawaii junior golfers aspire to as they compete through the tournament season. "It's the experience of a lifetime for the juniors to partner with, and compete alongside PGA TOUR professionals," said Charlie King of King Auto Group.

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