Sold-out McDonald’s Golf Classic tees off Saturday

McDonald’s Guam and Saipan owner Jose “Joe” Ayuyu and his wife, Marcia, hosted a sponsors appreciation cocktail last Tuesday at their Papago home and thanked each one of them personally for their donations to the 2nd Annual McDonald’s Golf Classic this Saturday at the Laolao Bay Golf & Resort east course. (LEIGH GASES)

The 2nd Annual McDonald’s Golf Classic has sold out three weeks prior and is set and ready for tee time this Saturday, Dec. 3, at the Laolao Bay Golf & Resort east course with 144 golfers from the CNMI and Guam.

Before the awarding of plaques at a cocktail reception in McDonald’s Guam and Saipan owners Jose “Joe” and Marcia Ayuyus’ home in Papago, Ben Babauta, golf charity tournament chairman said, “we do have a full field—144 players,” which was greeted by applause from the sponsors in attendance. 

Both owners then thanked the sponsors and handed them plaques of appreciation for their donations.

Jose Ayuyu, for his part, said “on behalf of my wife, Marcia, and Ben, outstanding job Ben, thank you so much.”

“Giving back to the community, especially families in need, will always be one of our top priorities,” he said.

Marcia Ayuyu said, “thank you so much for all your support and your donations… This year, the beneficiaries will be Make-A-Wish Foundation, Karidat Social Services, Ronald McDonald House, and the Salvation Army.

Natalie Mabel Ayuyu-Glenn, executive assistant to the president of McDonald’s, said after the event that this year’s tournament is different from last year because of the new Jose and Ruri Ayuyu Foundation, Inc., named after her parents, Jose and Marcia “Ruri” Ayuyu.

She said, “I’m hoping that that will be the legacy that my parents can leave behind for the next generation, people like myself, to inspire us for hope and the idea of giving back. They were the pioneers and… through this foundation we hope to continue that legacy of giving back… the foundation is all about supporting programs, initiatives, events that keep families together, and we feel like these beneficiaries that we selected, really try their best to keep families together in some sort of way, so that’s the whole idea behind the foundation.”

For golfers, cash prizes will be up for grabs for first, second and third place in each flight from champion to seniors.

Luxury vehicles from Atkins Kroll, Triple J Auto Group, and Joeten Motors and cash prize from Pacifica Insurance Underwriters, Inc. are offered for the player who hits a hole-in-one at the designated holes, for a total prize value of over $200,000 combined.

Gold sponsors are Stay Well Insurance, Pacific Daily News, MarPac Inc., Bank of Guam, KSPN2, Coca-Cola Beverage Company in CNMI, Bank of Saipan; silver sponsors are ASC Trust, Tan Siu Lin Foundation, Bank of Hawaii, Matson Navigation, United Airlines, Bridge Capital LLC, Mobil Oil Marianas, Power 99, Micronesia Air Cargo Services, Guahan Waste Control, and IT&E; and bronze sponsors are Docomo Pacific, Herman’s Bakery, Chong’s Corp., RNV Construction, Saipan Computer Services, Westco, Sanford Technology Group, Megabyte, and Yaong Corp.

Registration is now full and on a waitlist basis only. For up-to-date information on the golf classic, visit the website www.mcdonaldsguamandsaipan.com or call McDonald’s Saipan office at 670-235-8761.