Shortened by bad weather last Saturday, this year’s TOC was joined by 179 golfers, a bigger turn out compared to last year’s event that was attended by 168 people.
Sunga and Saipan’s pro golfer, Yong Man Bae tied in first place as both garnered a gross of 70 sending them back to the course for a sudden death match up in Hole No. 17.
Then, Sunga broke the tie by shooting at par while Bae bogeyed.
Sunga brought home a TOC 2009 trophy and $600 cash. Bae was also awarded trophy and $500 cash for second place.
Joji Taguchi settled for third as he shot 73. He won a trophy and $400.
Seung Woo Kang shot and Jong Won Lee shot 74 and 76 respectively for the fourth and fifth place.
Manny Mangarero and Victorino Flores Borja also settled their 77-77 tie in a sudden death round also in Hole No. 17, to gain the Seniors Flight title. Mangarero swung a perfect set of strokes to break the tie and won the Seniors Flight crown.
Tournament Director Ben Babauta said they tried to go ahead with the originally scheduled TOC last Saturday, hoping that the sky would clear up. Everybody was waiting for the rain to subside.
Babauta said they decided to call it off when rain water turned the course unplayable.
Most of the golfers were already getting wet, he said “and we don’t want anybody to get sick.” Everybody felt good about the decision.
Sunday’s good weather brought every body great relief. They teed off at 7 a.m., and were done by noon.
In the A Flight, Tae Sung Seol shot 76 to win the first place.
Yasu Irinaka won the second place in a score card play with Philip Mark Santos who tied with him in 77 gross. Sung Keun Kim (80) and Jessie K. Seman (81) placed fourth and fifth respectively.
Rep. Diego T. Benavente topped the B Flight with his 80 gross, followed by Jhun Calma who shot 83. Ben Mabborang beat Tony Rogolifoi in a score card playoff for third place as they both shot 84 and George Fleming (86) placed fifth.
Yoshiro Yamamoto shot 82 and won the C Flight, Tony Sablan (85) placed second and Martin Duenas (87) third.
Bill Garis short 77 and defeated Jess Taitano (82) in the Super Seniors Flight. Duke Yoo, Kwang Min and Mike Conley were in a three-way tie. Yoo won the Super Seniors title in a score card play off.
In Ladies Flight, Yun Jeong Kim shot 75 in a low gross round, trailed by Rose Tarpley who got second place over Noriko Togawa as they tied in 83 gross.
In the Ladies Low Net, Kimiko Abe shot 102 but got the Peoria hole to trim her gross down to 73.2. Lorraine Babauta netted 73.8 and Na Eun Song, 74 to settle for second and third respectively.
The TOC would like to thank platinum sponsors, Duty Free Shop, Laolao Bay and Marianas Visitors Authority; gold sponsors, IT& E, Tan Holdings, Miller, Pepsi, Couture Marketing, AON Insurance, Triple J Motors, Joeten Motors, Shell Marianas; silver sponsors, Docomo Pacific and Elite Printing, and bronze sponsors, Asiana Airlines, Cargo Express, Dickerson and Quinn, G4S, Ginen Saipan, Hard Rock Café, Hana Tour, Hyatt Regency Saipan, Island Printing, Kautz Glass, KSPN/The Visitors Channel, Loewe, Rainbow Color, Sunlark Corp., Sky Castle Limousine and Triple B Forwarders.
TOC also thanks Duke Yoo fro donating his tournament prize of $400 to the Commonwealth Health Center Volunteers Association.
