Ex-’Eater Chin shines

UC Irvine alumnus John Chin shot a four-under-par 68 Monday to qualify for this weekend’s Sony Open, the PGA Tour’s first full-field event of the year.

Chin’s round in Monday’s qualifier included four birdies and an eagle at Hoakalei Country Club in Ewa Beach, Hawaii, as he earned one of four qualifying spots.

The Sony Open will be held at the Waialae Country Club in Honolulu Thursday through Sunday with the Golf Channel providing coverage all four days.

Chin was a 2010 Golfweek and PING first-team All-American (a first in UCI’s NCAA Division I history) and he was named to the 2010 All-Nicklaus team.

He was a three-time Big West Conference Player of the Year (2008, 2009 and 2010) and two-time medalist at the Big West Championship, including 2010 when he won the 54-hole tournament by nine shots.

Chin won the 2015 Reno Open and played primarily on the Canadian Tour last year.

— From staff reports

— From staff reports