By James Sablan
[email protected]
Variety News Staff
DOMINIQUE Kieffer took the spotlight at this year’s Northern Marianas College Foundation Golf Open, claiming the Championship Flight title with a two-day gross score of 145 at LaoLao Bay Golf & Resort.
The two-day tournament, held March 21–22, marked a milestone as NMC commemorated its 45th anniversary. Competing in challenging conditions, Kieffer’s precision and composure carried her to victory over a field of elite local and international golfers.
Kieffer said the course played especially tough this year, citing fast greens and strong winds as major challenges. She pointed to a setback on hole No. 15, a par-3, where a poor approach shot led to a double bogey. Despite that, she stayed composed and maintained momentum to finish atop the leaderboard.
Kieffer opened with a 73, shooting 36 on the front nine and 37 on the back. She followed with a 72 on the second day, carding a 33 on the front and 39 on the back to finish at 145 — five strokes clear of the field.
“It was definitely tougher out there than it normally is,” Kieffer said. “You just kind of have to work with it in your head to get over it.”
The win held special meaning for Kieffer, who narrowly missed the top spot last year. She thanked tournament organizers and sponsors, including her employer, GHD, for covering her entry, as well as the local golf community for its continued support.
“I actually really love playing against these people,” she said. “Saipan has a very special way of doing golf tournaments. It’s exciting, it’s fun, and I keep coming back because of that.”
The tournament, a major fundraiser for the college’s campus development and workforce training initiatives, featured high-stakes incentives, including a $15,000 hole-in-one prize and a $100,000 shootout challenge sponsored by Pacifica Insurance Underwriters. Kieffer was among those selected in a raffle for a chance at the shootout prize.
Zhi Yun Li placed second in the Championship Flight with a 150 (77-73), while Louie Sunga finished third at 156 (76-80).
The top finishers in other flights:
A Flight
1st: John Anthony Muna – 168 (82-86)
2nd: Kiwan (Michael) Nam – 171 (81-90)
3rd: Jerry Lin – 172 (84-88)
B Flight
1st: Dong In Jang – 165 (85-80)
2nd: James Ripple – 169 (84-85)
3rd: Sukyoung Yoon – 172 (84-88)
C Flight
1st: John Terlaje – 178 (85-93)
2nd: Augustin Palacios – 179 (91-88)
3rd: Matt Deets – 180 (88-92)
Ladies Flight
1st: Nalathli Vongjalorn – 156 (80-76)
2nd: Hyun Sook Lim – 159 (76-83)
3rd: Hyranie McAuslen – 166 (84-82)
Seniors Flight
1st: Joseph Sasamoto – 148 (74-74)
2nd: Mike Castro – 155 (76-79)
3rd: Anthony Benavente – 155 (80-75)
Super Seniors Flight
1st: Joe “Kamikaze” Camacho – 163 (79-84)
2nd: Joseph Sablan – 165 (83-82)
3rd: Edward Manibusan – 165 (81-84)
James Sablan has been a sports reporter for Variety since 2013. He was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College and covers all local sports.
