TOC 10th anniversary to be marked with $10M shootout

This year’s Tournament of Champions marks the event’s 10th year of competition, and organizers decided what better way to celebrate a decade of tees and putts by highlighting the event with a Million-Dollar Shootout.

The shootout, according to TOC organizing committee chairperson Rodney G. Klinge, features up to $10 million in possible winnings, with each million marking each year the tournament had been held.

Only 10 shots will be attempted during the shootout, with each shot from 170 yards possibly being worth $1 million. Participants in the shootout will be determined by a raffle drawing.

The tournament will be held on Aug. 6 and Aug. 7, with the shootout scheduled for the final day.

Last year, the Million-Dollar Shootout featured possible winnings of up to $6 million.

Also marking the 10-year anniversary of the tournament is a new TOC logo, which will only be used for this year’s tournament. Klinge said the logo was created by LaoLao Bay Golf Resort, which will be the host of the two-day event.

Meanwhile, Klinge said several golfers have already availed of the early-bird registration, which costs $200. Registration fee increases to $225 after July 29.

Klinge also said that about 100 sponsored slots would be featured. Sponsored slots are available only to those who are sponsoring the tournament.

“Some of them have signed up and some haven’t,” Klinge said.

No entry forms will be accepted after 5pm on Aug. 3 and organizers have also indicated that no walk-ons will be accepted for the tournament.

The tourney features competitions in the Championship Flight, A Flight, B Flight, C Flight, Senior, Super Senior, Ladies Low Gross, and Ladies Low Net.

At stake are cash and in-kind prizes as well as a year’s worth of bragging rights. First-place winners receive $600, second place $500, third place $400, fourth place a DVD player, and fifth place $100 DFS merchandise coupon.

Top three finishers in the Ladies Low Net competition will also receive trophies.

Also, the names of the top winners of all flights, except the Ladies Low Net, will be raffled to determine the 2006 participant in the Johnnie Walker Classic, which will be held in Perth, Australia in February 2006.

Last year, Joe “Kamikaze” Camacho won the Championship Flight and was selected to participate in the Johnnie Walker Classic. Klinge said this year’s selection process would give all winners of all flights the chance to participate.

Also, a Governor’s Sponsor Luncheon will also be held on July 22 from 11am to 1pm at the Dai-Ichi Hotel Saipan Beach Hibiscus Hall, and a Player’s Banquet will be held on August 7 from 6pm to 10pm at the Dai-Ichi poolside.

For more information on this year’s TOC, contact Klinge at 236-2590, 285-6604, or 233-1891, or Ben Babauta at 236-2563, 285-2563, or 233-1891.