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For the second consecutive year and third time in the 39 year history of the John Burns Intercollegiate, the University of Hawai'i men's golf team will host the annual event at the Wailua Golf Course in Lihu'e, Kaua'i. The tournament runs Wednesday, Feb. 18 through Friday, Feb. 20 and features 16 teams including four-time defending champion No. 26 California.
 
The field also includes Top 50 ranked teams, No. 19 Virginia, No. 25 UNLV, and No. 27 New Mexico along with Arizona, Brigham Young, BYU-Hawai'i, Colorado State, Fresno State, UH-Hilo, Long Beach State, Santa Clara, Texas A&M, UTEP, and Washington State.
 
Wailua is a municipal course which played host to three USGA National Public Links Championships and has a Top 10 rating by Golf Digest as one of the best courses in the state of Hawai'i. It first played host to the John Burns Intercollegiate in 1978, the second year of the tournament.
 
Participants will play a total of 54 holes over the three-day tournament at the 6,991-yard, par 72 course with an 8:30 a.m., shotgun start each day.
 
California is seeking its fifth straight tournament title. During their four-year title run, the Golden Bears captured the first three crowns at the Turtle Bay Resort on the North Shore of O'ahu before winning the rain-shortened tourney last year at Wailua.
 
In last year's tournament, the final day was cancelled as the island of Kaua'i was under a flash flood warning. California was declared the champion with a 560 total, nine strokes better than runner-ups Texas A&M and BYU (569). BYU's Justin Keiley took medalist honors at 10-under 134 while defending champion Joel Stalter was runner-up at 6-under 138.

UH will enter two teams for the tournament. Competing for the "A" squad is Lihu'e native Pono Tokioka, a sophomore and Kaua'i High School graduate. Tokioka leads the team with four rounds in the 60s and had his best collegiate finish at the Ka'anapali Classic Collegiate Invitational in November, where he shot 5-under 208.
 
The Rainbow Warriors are coming off a 16^th place finish at the Amer Ari Invitational two weeks in Waikoloa, Hawai'i. UH hosted two tournaments during the fall season on neighbor islands – the Warrior Princeville Makai Invitational also on Kaua'i and the Ka'anapali Classic Collegiate Invitational on Maui.
 
Tournament #6
What: 39^th John A. Burns Intercollegiate
Dates: Wednesday, Feb. 18 through Friday, Feb. 20
Course: Wailua Golf Course
Location: Lihu'e, Kaua'i
Yardage: 6,991 (72)
Format: Three-days; 54 holes (18 on each day); 5-count-4
Host: Hawai'i
Field (16 teams): Arizona, Brigham Young, BYU-Hawai'i, California, Colorado State, Fresno State, Hawai'i. UH-Hilo, Long Beach State, New Mexico, Santa Clara, Texas A&M, UNLV, UTEP, Virginia, Washington State
Live Scoring: www.golfstatresults.com
 
Tournament History
In its 39^th year, the John A. Burns Intercollegiate is considered the University of Hawai'i's  premiere golf tournament, providing some of the nation's top-ranked programs with the opportunity to compete against one another in the 50^th state.
 
The annual spring tournament has seen tremendous growth since its first year in 1977. The tournament was held primarily at Kane'ohe Klipper Golf Course before moving to Leilehua Golf Course in 2000 for an 11-year run. The tournament then moved to Turtle Bay Resort from 2011-13 and Wailua Golf Course on Kaua'i last year.
 
Among the who's-who of Burns champions include Bob Clampett, who won at Wailua in 1978, Steve Pate (UCLA, 1983), Notah Begay (Stanford, 1995), Tiger Woods (Stanford, 1996), and Bo Van Pelt (Oklahoma State, 1997). Oklahoma State has a won record six Burns titles.
 
As governor of the state of Hawai'i, Burns longed to see the growth of UH's athletes at a competitive level with the rest of the nation. He took part in initiating statehood in 1959 and also started the planning and construction for Aloha Stadium – home of UH football and the NFL's Pro Bowl, as well as other island sporting events and music concerts.
 
Before he passed away on April 15, 1975 at the age of 66, Burns had a hand in upgrading UH's athletics program. Shortly after his death, his namesake tournament was founded. This tournament reflects back to Burns, the political power who was really a "sportsman at heart."
 
In his later years, Burns often talked about young Hawai'i athletes needing support and opportunities to express and compare their athletic talent with other athletes from the U.S. mainland. Both of Burns' sons (John Jr. and James) took up golf as a sport as youngsters and they too found success on the courses. James qualified for the National Junior Championships and drew his father even closer to the junior golf programs. John Sr., was appointed as an honorary member of the Hawai'i Junior Golf Association in 1967.
 
When the now-defunct Hawaiian Open was included on the PGA Tour, Burns gave solid support and was named honorary chairman of the tournament committee. The success of that tournament, opened doors to the state for future events and soon became a regular stop for the PGA, LPGA, and Champions Tour.
 
The tournament that bears his name offers UH golfers an opportunity to compete with the best in the NCAA. Former participants and individual champions include future PGA stars such as Notah Begay (1995) and Tiger Woods (1996) of Stanford and Oklahoma State's Bo Van Pelt (1997).
 
Burns' dream has become a reality for Hawai'i's athletes, as many have gone on to professional careers. Because of his determination and the energy he put forth for the growth of this island state, John Burns' name lives on in sports circles as well as in the hearts of Hawai'i athletes and their fans.