NMI junior golfers victorious in Guam

Rex Kim, left, and Edward Lee share a light moment after their practice round at the Laolao Bay Golf & Resort’s driving range. Both junior golfers ruled their respective divisions in the 7th Annual BMW Junior Open held in Guam last month. (Jon Perez)

CNMI junior golfers Edward Lee and Rex Kim capped their 2015 campaign by ruling their respective age divisions in last week’s 7th Annual BMW Junior Open golf tournament held at the Leo Palace Resort in Yona.

Both youth par-busters topped various tournaments on Saipan and then brought their winning ways in the annual tournament that gathered the best U18 golfers from the CNMI, Japan, Korea, and the hosts.

Lee successfully defended his title in the boys 11-12 age group, while Kim topped the 15-18 division in the tournament shortened by unpredictable weather conditions. The tournament was originally set from Dec. 27 to 29 but the 28th got rained out.

The 12-year-old Lee tamed the 36-hole layout designed by World Golf Hall of Famers Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer with a two-day total of 6-under 138 for a comfortable 23-shot win over Korea’s Jaesung Na’s 161. Guam’s Ivan Sablan was third with a 161.

Lee, the A Flight winner in the 2014 Tournament of Champions, overcame windy conditions with rounds of 34 and 33 for a 67 on opening day. He slowed down on the final with 36 and 35 for a 71 that gave him that 138.

Na, on the other hand, shot a pair of 37s on the first day for a 74 but failed to keep up with Lee’s rapid pace and limped with a 39 and 48 for an 87. Sablan fired a 79 (38, 41) and an 87 (44-43) for that 166.

Lee, who started playing golf at age 4, said that course familiarity also helped him with his title defense. “We played on the same course when I won in 2014 that’s why I remembered the layout and that gave me the chance to plan on how to approach the greens.”

“It was also a good thing that we had a practice round but the windy conditions gave us a hard time. There are instances that my shots went out of bounds and we had one round that got rained out,” added Lee, who always practices at Laolao Bay Golf & Resort’s driving range after school.

Lee was also the B Flight winner in the 12th Annual Northern Marianas College Foundation Open Golf Tournament last year and had a runner-up finish in the men’s division in the inaugural Club Lao Golf Championship.

The 15-year-old Kim, on the other hand, added the BMW Junior Open’s 15-18 division crown to his title wins in the Championship flights of the TOC (2015) and NMC golf tournament (2014 and 2015).

The Saipan International School freshman ended with a 13-over 157 after firing a 78 (40-38) on the first day and when play resumed finished with a 79 (39-40).

Japan’s Masaya Kamo was 10 shots back with a 167 after an 84 (40-44) and 83 (42-41), while compatriot Yoshiki Yamada ended up tied with Guam’s Seth Abrahamson at third.

Yamada had 96s (47-49; 51-45), while Abrahamson had a horrible first round with a 107 (51-56) before settling with a respectable 85 (46-39).

Kim, however, will move back to Korea after the school year ends in June where he would continue his studies and improve his golf game.