Tournament winner Franco Santos and John Josph Muna, who placed third, pose with Marianas Tourism Education Council Chair Vicky Benavente following the 2023 Marianas Tourism Golf Classic on Saturday at the LaoLao Bay Golf & Resort west course.
FRANCO Santos won the championship flight of the 2023 Marianas Tourism Golf Classic Saturday at the Laolao Bay Golf & Resort west course.
Santos fought hard for the top spot and had to go head-to-head with a young player, Joshua Atalig.
For Santos, it was all about consistency. He did not sink a single birdie, but his game was balanced by a handful of pars.
On the front nine, Santos made two bogeys to end with a gross of 38. He then tweaked his swing on the back nine, making only one bogey to end with a gross of 37 for a gross total of 75.
For his part, Joshua Atalig entered the front nine with confidence as he made a birdie on the third hole. However, he made two bogeys to end with a gross of 37.
On the back nine, he shot a birdie on hole #11, but suffered three bogeys to end with a gross total of 75.
In the scorecard playoff, Santos bested Atalig on hole #10 to win the title.
In third place was John Joseph Muna who edged Dominic Kieffer in a scoreboard playoff. Both shot a gross total of 77.
Santos, the Marianas Alliance for Non-Governmental Organizations finance manager, said he played the short game, adding that the bogeys he made “were just short putts that wouldn’t go in.”
He said with the course soaked in rainfall, his main focus was to get the ball into the green and finish with putts.
He said his game plan “was to play for pars, and I guess it worked out.”
Santos, who also served as the volunteer tournament director and score tabulator, commended and congratulated all the other winners. Most are, like him, members of the Refaluwasch Golf Association.
Each of the top three winners took home a bottle of wine from D&Q with Santos also receiving $300 cash, Atalig $200, and Muna $100.
The event sponsors were LaoLao Bay Golf & Resort, Joeten Motors, Triple J, IT&E, Top Shelf Wine/Spirits Saipan, Bank of Guam, Saipan Shipping Co., Century Insurance, Kensington Hotel Saipan, Power 99, Westco, KKMP, JG Sablan Ice & Water Inc., Crowne Plaza Resort Saipan, Mobil, Coral Ocean Resort Saipan, Saipan World Resort, Pacific Islands Club, D&Q, Pizza Hut, Wushin Gas, HANMI, 3HiRes, I Love Saipan, Godfather’s, Grandvrio Resort Saipan, Saipan Ice & Water Co., Napu Brewing Co., Skydive Saipan, Bridge Capital LLC, RNV Construction, Island Training Solutions, Hawaiian Rock Products, Tan Siu Lin Foundation, 103.9 KZMI, Marpac, Tinian Diamond, KSPN2, Magic 100FM, Joeten Superstore, Saipan Advertising and Marianas Variety.
Proceeds of the tournament will help fund the education work of Marianas Tourism Education Council, a non-profit which focuses on community outreach, and school tourism MY WAVE (Marianas Youth Welcome All Visitors Enthusiastically) Clubs.
