Greg Norman and Bernhard Langer are joining the 2009 Wendy's Champions Skins Game, but Arnold Palmer — the major reason the exhibition became popular — will not be at the Royal Ka'anapali Golf Course next month.

The 22nd Senior Skins is Jan. 17 and 18 on Maui. It is the same weekend as the final two rounds of the Sony Open in Hawai'i, at Waialae Country Club. The Mercedes-Benz Championship opens pro golf's Aloha Swing, Jan. 8 to 11 at Kapalua's Plantation Course.

Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Tom Watson played in the original made-for-television Skins Game in 1983. Nicklaus, Player and Watson will all be at Ka'anapali, but Palmer opted out according to promoters, who did not give a reason.

Palmer, 79, played in 20 Senior Skins, missing only in 1997 when he was recovering from prostate cancer surgery. He won in 1990, '92 and '93.

The Senior Skins Game was a spin-off of the original and started in 1988 at Turtle Bay, with Palmer, Chi Chi Rodriguez, Sam Snead and Player. It moved to California for one year, then was played at Mauna Lani on the Big Island from 1990 to 2000. It moved to Maui in 2001 and was played at Wailea through 2007 before moving to Ka'anapali this year.

Wendy's came on as title sponsor in 2003. The four-man format was changed to four two-man teams, playing an alternate-shot format, in 2006.

Teams are again competing for $770,000, with the first six holes worth $30,000 each, the next six $40,000 each and the next five $50,000 each. The 18th is worth $100,000. Low score on each hole wins, but if there is a tie, money carries over to the next hole.

Fuzzy Zoeller and Peter Jacobsen will defend their championship at Ka'anapali and Jay Haas will also be back, teaming with Norman. Langer will play with Player.

The exhibition will be shown more than a month later on ESPN, with the first nine holes airing Feb. 28, and the final holes on March 1. It is tentatively scheduled to run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Hawai'i.

JUNIOR SEASON FINALE

The Hawai'i State Junior Golf Association's Ulupalakua Ranch Tournament of Champions will be at Wailea Golf Club's Gold Course Saturday and Sunday.

The season-ending event brings together champions from every 2008 HSJGA tournament. It also serves as the last opportunity to earn points toward "Players of the Year." All 2008 "Player of the Year" age-group winners will be recognized at the Aloha Section PGA Hawai'i Golf Ho'olaule'a Awards dinner on Jan. 16 at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Tapa Ballroom.

Juniors will compete in 10-under, 11-12, 13-14 and 15-18 divisions, from tees measuring between 4,597 and 7,078 yards.

Players include Marissa Chow, Cassy Isagawa, Alex Chiarella, Kalena Preus, Ryan Kuroiwa, Allisen Corpuz, Eimi Koga, Alika Bell, Lorens Chan, Bradley Shigezawa, Alex Chu, David Fink, Bou-An Fujieki, Taeksoo Kim, Anna Jang, Alina Ching, Kristina Merkle and Kelli Oide.

OBAMA 16-HANDICAPPER

President-elect Barack Obama already ranks eighth on Golf Digest's Top 15 Golfing Presidents. The article, in the January 2009 issue, says Obama is the 15th of the past 18 American presidents who has played golf.

It also notes he pondered his presidential bid while golfing in Hawai'i in 2006, and hit the Olomana Golf Links while vacationing in August.

Obama, whose handicap is "around 16," ranks in a tie for 123rd in the magazine's updated "Washington's Top 200," a combination of "senators, representatives, appointed officials, lobbyists and other power brokers." It is led by T-Mobile lobbyist Tony Russo, who plays to a plus 1.7 Handicap Index.

Russo used to work for Vice President-elect Joe Biden, who took up the game less than 10 years ago, but already has a Handicap Index of 8.2. Hawai'i Sen. Daniel Akaka is No. 181, with an index of 24.2.

John F. Kennedy is the top-ranked Golfing President, followed by Dwight D. Eisenhower and Gerald R. Ford.