Hale Irwin will look to get back into the Champions Tour winner's circle after going winless in 2006, the first time in 11 years the veteran did not win an event, at the MasterCard Championship at Hualalai.

The 54-hole event, which begins Friday at the Hualalai Golf Club on the Big Island, is a prime spot for Irwin to regain his winning ways.

Irwin won five successive Turtle Bay Championships (2000 to 2005, no event was held in 2004) and Senior Skins titles in 1999, 2001 and 2002. He also won the 1981 Hawaiian Open. Irwin has won $3,893,475 in Hawai'i as a professional. If Irwin prevails next week, he will become the fifth multiple champion of the season-opening event.

There are seven former winners of the event, including Irwin, in the field. The others are John Jacobs, Tom Kite, Gil Morgan, Dana Quigley, Loren Roberts and Fuzzy Zoeller.

There are also five former champions of the Sony Open in Hawai'i in the field: Irwin, Andy Bean, Ben Crenshaw, Bruce Lietzke and Lanny Wadkins.

There will be eight newcomers in the 42-player field. To be eligible, the players must have won a Champions Tour major in the past five years, won a Champions Tour official money or co-sponsored event in the past two years. There are also four sponsor exemptions to players with either a minimum of 30 combined PGA or Champions tour victories, or players with a minimum of 15 combined career victories who have also won at least one major.

Former Kailua resident Scott Simpson is one of the eight newcomers to Hualalai. The others are Bean, Brad Bryant, David Edwards, Fred Funk, John Harris, Jerry Pate and Eduardo Romero.

HOST FAMILIES SOUGHT

The Fields Open in Hawai'i is seeking Honolulu residents interested in providing host accommodations for participating LPGA players.

Housing in areas near Ko Olina Resort, which is the site of the tournament, is preferred, but not necessary.

The 54-hole event runs from Feb. 19 to Feb. 24.

For more information on hosting a player or caddie, call (808) 882-4039 or 671-1727.