Governor’s Tourism Cup tees off tomorrow

The scenic Laolao Bay Golf & Resort’s east course will play host to the Governor’s Tourism Cup Golf Tournament tomorrow. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

The Governor’s Tourism Cup Golf Tournament is set tomorrow, Sept. 2, at the scenic Laolao Bay Golf & Resort’s east course.

Marianas Visitors Authority-hosted tournament will have a tee time of 7:30am. The beneficiary for the tournament is the Marianas Tourism Education Council.

Tournament director James Nelson said he’s looking forward for a fun and very competitive 2017 Governor’s Tourism Cup.

“We expect a great competition in the Championship Flight where we have seven players with single handicaps. The A flight features nine players that are all within a couple of points off each other’s handicaps. So, the competitor will be wide open. The Senior Flight is stacked with some of the best senior players on Saipan. It’s anyone’s game in that flight,” he said.

Nelson added that as expected the flight with the most players is the C Flight with 55 players. The Ladies Flight, meanwhile, has 14 players who all possess great golf games.

Bank of Guam, Bridge Capital, Hyatt Regency Saipan, IT&E, DFS T-Galleria, and the Tan Siu Lin Foundation have signed up as Major
Sponsors.

Classic Sponsors are Joeten Enterprises, Pacific Islands Club, Best Sunshine, Laolao Bay Golf & Resort, Saipan Tribune, Marianas Variety, and the Sorensen Media Group-Power 99.

Hole-In-One Sponsors Joeten Motor Company, Pacifica Insurance, AK Toyota, and Triple J Motors have put forth fantastic prizes of cash and cars.

First Hawaiian Bank, PHI Pharmacy, Island Training Solutions, IP&E, Fiesta Resort & Spa, Marianas Resort & Spa, MarPac, and Pacific Trading Co. have come on board as Classic Contributors.

This year’s entry fee is $100 and includes cart and green fees, morning snacks, free-flowing on-course refreshments, and awards banquet. Participants can also look forward to the nearest to the pin and longest drive competitions, as well as the ever popular hot-dog stand out on the course.

A total of 105 golfers competed in the Inaugural Governor’s Tourism Cup Golf Tournament last year also at the Kagman golf course

Aqua Resort Club executive chef William Retardo won the Championship Flight and was joined by David Largent and Jeff Taylor at the podium. Other Top 3 finishers in their respective competitions were A Flight’s Lee Dong Kyu, Joey Dela Cruz, and Alex Sablan; B Flight’s Tony Guerrero, Lito Mendoza, and Carl Hocog; C Flight’s Mario Taitano, Glenn Maratita, and Diego Benavente; Seniors’s Alex Tudela, Manny Mangarero, and John Cepeda; and Ladies’ Masayo Miyamoto, Lorraine Babauta, and Noriko Togawa. (PR)