By Roselyn B. Monroyo
Variety News Staff

MICRONESIAN Games veteran Jeff Taylor led the top winners in the HANMI Charity Golf Classic 2007 last Saturday at the LaoLao Bay Golf Resort.
Taylor, who won a gold medal in the team event in the 2006 Micronesian Games on Saipan, ruled the centerpiece Championship Flight beating former teammates Jess Wabol and Joe “Kamikaze” Camacho.
The DFS employee shot a 2-over par 74 at the Kagman-based golf club for a one-stroke win over Wabol. Taylor fired a 2-over par 38 on the front nine and had an even better performance on the back with an even par 36.
Wabol had a better score on the front nines with a 1-over par 37, but settled for second place when he nailed a 2-over par 38 in the last nine holes.
Camacho also fired a 75, but dropped to third after losing in the playoffs.
Six other golfers joined the Championship Flight. They were Yong Man Bae (81), Tony Satur (82), Russell Honrubia (83), Tony Camacho (84), Paul Camacho (89) and Andy Nepaial (89).
In the A Flight, Tadashi Umezawa scored a 3-over par 75 to beat 15 other participants.
The Japanese shot a 37 and 38 on the front and back nines, respectively, for a six-stroke win over second placer and junior golfer Charlie Jo, who had a gross 81.
The third place honors went to Ramon San Nicolas, who fired an 82.
There was a tie for first place in the B Flight with Father Manny Corcuera beating Daniel Quitugua in the playoffs. Both shot a 7-over par 79.
Corcuerra nailed a 3-over par 39 on the front and slowed down a bit in the last nine holes hitting a 4-over par 40 on the back nine. Quitugua had a 2-over par 38 on the front, but failed to claim the solo lead when he dropped to a 5-over par 41 on the back nine.
Another junior golfer made it to the top three with Dominic Von Siebenthal hitting an 8-over par 80.
The C Flight title went to Das Krishnan, who fired a 42 and 45 on the front and back nines, respectively, for a 15-over par 87. He beat junior golfer Ryan Kim by just a stroke. Third placer Jae Guk Yoon was two strokes behind Krishnan with his 89.
Junior golfer Leina Kim won the low gross category in the ladies with her 6-over par 78. Leina had a 4-over par 40 on the front nines and improved her game on the back nine with a 2-over par 38.
Sherlyn Jones topped the low net category with her 73. The 22-handicapper shot a gross 95. In second place was Alice Taitano, a 9-handicapper who drilled a gross 83 for a net 74. Matilde Hocog completed the top three in the low net category firing a 75.
Ed Manibusan ruled the Seniors division drilling a 6-over par 78 for a five-stroke win over Eun Jung Taek, who shot an 83. Juan I. Babauta placed third with his gross 84.
A total of 101 golfers participated in the annual tournament.
Four of them won closest to the pin contests.
“Kamikaze” had a closest to the pin shot on No. 3, Young Man Bae on No. 7, Nepaial on No. 13 and Satur on No. 17, while Ganover Rettin had the longest drive shot at No. 18.