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KAPALUA, Hawaii -- The Hawaii Tourism Authority and PGA TOUR announced Sunday a four-year extension of their official marketing partnership that helps promote the state's golf industry.

The TOUR and the HTA, created by the state legislature to oversee Hawaii's multi-billion tourism industry, first entered a marketing relationship in 2001. The strategy was to combine Hawaii's professional golf tournaments into a marketing package that could serve as the promotional cornerstone for the state's $1 billion golf industry. The new agreement extends through 2010.

"We are extremely pleased to announce the renewal of our partnership with the Hawaii Tourism Authority and to continue our significant presence in the state to begin the season for both the PGA TOUR and Champions Tour," said PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem. "We have a long history of playing in Hawaii and our members certainly enjoy opening the season each new year there."

The PGA TOUR's official money season begins the first two weeks of January with back-to-back events in Hawaii, the Mercedes-Benz Championship and Sony Open in Hawaii, both with live four-round coverage on GOLF CHANNEL, including heavy tune-in promotion.

The Champions Tour launches with the Wendy's Champions Skins Game followed by its own two season-opening official events in Hawaii with the MasterCard Championship and Turtle Bay Championship.

The HTA is allowed to use the "Official PGA TOUR Event(s)" and "Official Champions Tour Event(s)" designations for Hawaii events-related promotional use.

"We are excited by the terms of the new contract which ensures that the State of Hawaii will be host to many prestigious PGA TOUR events annually over the next four years, including the first two at the start of the season -- the Mercedes-Benz Championship on Maui and the Sony Open on Oahu," said Rex Johnson, president and chief executive officer of HTA. "In addition to generating significant media exposure and revenue for our state, these top-rated golf tournaments provide Hawaii golf fans with an opportunity to see their favorite players in action."

Hawaii boasts 80 golf courses across six islands, with some of the most renowned golf course architects represented, including Robert Trent Jones and Robert Trent Jones Jr.,

Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Greg Norman and Ted Robinson. According to GOLF Magazine, Hawaii has eight of the top 25 "courses you can play" in the U.S., while CondeNast Traveler rates Hawaii with 17 of the top 65 resort courses in the country. According to the HTA, approximately 13 percent of visitor parties to the state include at least one round of golf.

The first PGA TOUR tournament held in Hawaii was the 1965 Hawaiian Open at Waialae Country Club in Honolulu, which was won by Gay Brewer. The first Champions Tour event in the state was held in 1987 at the Royal Kaanapali Golf Club North Course, won by Orville Moody.

Hawaii has two other professional tournaments scheduled in 2007, both on the LPGA -- the SBS Open at Turtle Bay and Fields Open in Hawaii.