CHAN Seok Seo, John Antenorcruz, and Young Hee Yoo had their share of the spotlight in the Marianas Variety Founder’s Memorial Golf Tournament on Saturday by topping their respective flights at the Laolao Bay Golf & Resort west course.
In the B Flight, Chan Seok Seo finished first with a gross of 84.
Seok had a rocky start with a few bogeys as he shot 46 on the front nine. But he greatly improved his game on the back nine, making one birdie to end 2-over par for a gross of 38 and a gross total of 84 to clinch the top spot.
He won $500 cash, Subway gift certificates and a bottle of 21-year-old Ballantine’s whisky from Titan Imports.
In second place was Roy Ada with a gross total of 85. He brought home $300 cash, Subway gift certificates and a bottle of wine from R&J Liquor Store.
Finishing third was Ronald Benavente with a gross total of 87. He received $200 cash, Subway gift certificates and a bottle of wine from R&J Liquor Store.
Steady performance
John Antenorcruz, who bagged the C Flight title by just one stroke, showcased a steady performance throughout the tournament.
On the front nine, he ended with a gross of 44 and mirrored his output on the back nine with the same score for a gross total of 88.
He went home with the title as well as $500 cash, Subway gift certificates and a bottle of 21-year-old Ballantine’s whisky from Titan Imports.
“It was a tough course but you just have to endure it,” he said. “I played the course the way the course gave it to me.”
A Guam resident, Antenorcruz said he and MV President Amier Younis are good friends and that he traveled to Saipan to show his support.
In second place was Edwin Aldan. He led the competition on the front nine with a gross score of 43 but struggled on the back nine despite sinking a birdie on hole #16 to end with a gross of 46 and a total gross of 89.
He took home $300 cash, Subway gift certificates and a bottle of wine from R&J Liquor Store.
Don Hallmark scored a gross of 44 on the front nine and 45 on the back for a total gross of 89. However, he was outpointed by Aldan in the scorecard playoffs and had to settle for third place.
Hallmark received $200 cash, Subway gift certificates and a bottle of wine from R&J Liquor Store.
Another tie-breaker
In the Ladies Flight, Young Hee Yoo broke the tie for first place by besting Yuko Togawa in a scorecard playoff.
Yoo started strong, sinking one birdie on hole #5 and committing two bogeys only to end the front nine 1-over par for a gross of 37.
Although the back nine proved to be much tougher with strong winds as an added factor, she still delivered in the end with a gross score of 41 for a gross total of 78.
For her part, Togawa could not find her swing on the front nine, scoring a gross of 42. But she greatly improved on the back nine with birdies on holes #12 and #18 for a gross score of 36 and a total gross of 78.
For finishing first based on the scorecard playoffs, Yoo received $500 cash, Subway gift certificates and a bottle of 21-year-old Ballantine’s whisky from Titan Imports.
Togawa took home $300 cash, Subway gift certificates and bottle of wine from R&J Liquor Store.
Zhi Min Jin finished third by closing the front nine with a gross of 39 and the back nine with a gross of 44 for a gross total of 83.
She took home $200 cash, Subway gift certificates and a bottle of wine from R&J Liquor Store.
A total of 142 players participated in the tournament which which was held to honor the memory of Marianas Variety’s founding publisher, Abed E. Younis, as part of the newspaper’s 50th anniversary celebration.
The event also raised funds for Karidat Social Services.
John Antenorcruz, 2nd left, poses with Marianas Variety President Amier Younis, left, and siblings Farah Younis, 2nd right, and Salam Younis during the awards ceremony of the MV Founder’s Memorial Golf Tournament at Laolao Bay Golf & Resort on Saturday.
Chan Seok Seo, 2nd left, poses with Marianas Variety President Amier Younis, left, and siblings Farah Younis, 2nd right, and Salam Younis during the awards ceremony of the MV Founder’s Memorial Golf Tournament at Laolao Bay Golf & Resort on Saturday.
