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Teenager rules NMC Foundation golf
Teen Jun Seok Kim bested a strong field of veteran par-busters to rule Championship Flight of the 12th Annual Northern Marianas College Foundation Open Golf Tournament last Saturday at the Lao Lao Bay Golf and Resort.
Championship Flight winner Jun Seok Kim, left, receives his prize from Northern Marianas College president Sharon Hart in the awards banquet of the 12th Annual NMC Foundation Open golf tournament last Saturday at the Lao Lao Bay Golf and Resort.
(Jon Perez)
The 14-year-old fired a 4-over-par 76 for a one-shot win over Marianas Golfers Association president J.J. Atalig’s 77.
The Saipan International School eighth grader, who will only turn 15 on Sept. 18, opened with a 39 at the front and closed out his campaign with a 37 at the back.
“I am a bit familiar with the course here at Lao Lao since I regularly play here,” said Jun, who started playing golf when he was 4 years old.
Atalig, who will represent the CNMI in this year’s Pacific Games in Papua New Guinea, shot a 42 and 35 for that 77.
Jeff Taylor, a multi-titled golfer on Saipan, finished third with a 40 and 39 for 79.
Feng Chun Jin and Eui Suk Ko both submitted an 80 but the former won the scorecard tiebreak to rule the A Flight. Eleven-year-old Dong Yong Lee came in third with an 82.
Young Lee’s 77 clinched the B Flight title, while Michael Sablan and Leo Ganacias both had an 80 with Sablan placing second via the scorecard tiebreak.
Greg Sablan topped the C Flight with an 88, while Kim Dok Jun (91) and Joaquin Taitano (92) finished second and third.
Toshuyuki Mori bested Eddie K. Peter and Attorney General Edward Manibusan for the Senior Flight crown. Mori tallied 76 while Peter and Manibusan end up with 79 and 81.
Young Sook Kwon was the low gross winner in the Ladies Flight with an 82, while Jennifer Hegland was the low net champion with an 82 followed by the 85 of Kim Sun Suk.
The Top 3 finishers in each flight received $500, $300, and $200.
Ferdie Cataluna (hole No. 3), Dong Yong Lee (hole No. 7), Palik Thomson (hole No. 13), and Ben Jones Jr. (hole No. 17) were the closest to the pin winners.
NMC president Sharon Hart thanked all golfers who participated, the sponsors who donated prizes, and the volunteers who helped organized the annual fundraising event.
