Dominique Kieffer, left, with Guam Hotel & Restaurant Association President Mary Rhodes during the awards ceremony of the 30th Tourism Cup Championship Golf Tournament on Guam.
DOMINQUE Kieffer of Saipan finished second in the Championship Flight of the 30th Tourism Cup Championship Golf Tournament, which was held on Guam from Oct. 26 to 27.
Kieffer shot a gross total of 154 while Louie Sunga came in first with a gross total of 147.
“I was hoping to win, so truthfully, I wasn’t really satisfied,” Kieffer said. “But the winner, Louie Sunga from Guam, played well and definitely earned it. He’s a great competitor and very consistent!”
This was her first time competing on Guam, but “there were a handful of familiar faces since most have come to Saipan to compete [here] as well.”
The course, however, was the biggest challenge of them all.
“I had never played the golf course before, and with it being as long as it was, I made it my goal to stay patient and just work to make as many pars as possible,” Kieffer said.
“This golf course was long — 7,500 yards from the back tees is the PGA Tour length. It’s really easy to get exhausted. Any time I made a bogey or worse, I found it really challenging to stop and reset.”
But because she was able to remain patient through the hardest stretch of the course, she was able to finish strong with a few birdies on the last few holes. “Anytime I’m nervous I use breathing techniques to calm my nerves,” Kieffer said.
Placing second may not have been what Kieffer wanted, but it will certainly fuel her quest for redemption next year. “I’m determined to play in this tournament next year and provide a better showing, and of course beat Guam!” she said.
“Many thanks to Mary Rhodes from the Guam Hotel & Restaurant Association and her staff for setting up the tournament. And as well, thanks to the Guam firefighters for volunteering at the tournament.”
Better opportunities
As for Saipan’s young golfers, Kieffer said she is saddened by their lack of opportunity to expand their knowledge and develop their talent.
“I’m lucky that I was given opportunities to play in big tournaments and qualifiers as a junior golfer. I did well enough in the opportunities I was given to play in college. Kids here in Saipan don’t really have that opportunity,” she said.
She said Zhiyun Li, one of the island’s junior golfers, was able to compete in a few tournaments in California over the summer because some individuals in the Saipan golf community scraped together cash and held a fundraiser.
“When he played Torrey Pines South for the first time, that was only the 9th golf course he had ever played on. By his age, I had already played on one hundred. This is really important in developing young talent,” Kieffer said.
“Please believe me when I say we have a few excellent junior golfers here in Saipan and Guam. These kids can play. And they love golf. But it’s a shame we don’t have more opportunities to develop more kids here locally like a high school league or summer league as well as send a few off island more often for better competition and more experience,” she added.
