SGA takes perpetual trophy

After two days of goodwill play, the Saipan Golfers Association managed to edge Fil-Taga Golfers Association and take the perpetual trophy of the inaugural SGA-Fil-Taga Cup.

The two-day tournament began on Sept. 4 at the Lao Lao Bay Golf Resort and concluded Sunday at the Kingfisher Golf Links.

SGA was able to grab the early lead with a total of 874 points after the first day of play and capped their victory with 2,154 in the second day of play for a total of 3,028 points. Fil-Taga players managed to combine for 902 points on Sept. 4 and 2,274 points on Sunday for a total of 3,176. Each point is equivalent to each stroke a player takes while on the course. The association with the least number of strokes was declared the winner.

“On behalf of the SGA, I really appreciate your hard work to get this beautiful trophy from Fil-Taga,” SGA president Ben Aldan said jokingly. “I guess we’ll have to work a little bit harder to keep the trophy next year.”

Spearheading the cast of winners were Sasaki Oliver of Fil-Taga in the Championship Flight, Mike Cruz of Fil-Taga in the A Flight, Ray San Nicolas of SGA in the B Flight, and Frances Sablan of SGA in the Ladies Flight.

The score, however, was the last thing on the minds of the players as the event was held to raise funds to enable a junior golfer from the CNMI to compete in an international competition at the U.S. next year.

“The goal for this event is really to help the junior golfers,” said Fil-Taga president Ted Malaran. “We’re going to try to send the best among the best of our junior golfers…at least one.”

Malaran said all interested junior golfers would have to battle it out through an elimination round to determine who will bag the slot.

Malaran said both associations are setting a goal of raising about $3,000 for the Northern Mariana Islands Junior Golf League, which is currently working under the leadership of former judge Ed Manibusan on hiring a Filipino professional who will conduct clinics in hopes of enhancing the skills and level of play among the youth golfers.

“Thank you for this wonderful evening and two wonderful days of friendship and I think SGA and Fil-Taga should continue to play together, work together, and enjoy our friendship together and I think if we do that, we are going to have a wonderful year,” Manibusan said.

Earlier, Malaran said the tournament is the third fundraiser held by Fil-Taga for the NMI Junior Golf League.

Despite having posted low productions from its previous two fundraisers held in the last year and a half, Malaran remained hopeful that the new Ryder Cup-type tournament would generate more funds for the junior golfers.

“This is the third fundraising for the NMI Junior Golf League by Filtaga,” Malaran said, citing that the association’s Philippine Independence day Golf Tournament over the past year and a half served as fundraisers as well.

Malaran said only $300 was made last year and $200 this year, explaining that the tournament was held on Father’s Day.

“There were a few that came out for this year’s [fundraiser] because it coincided with Father’s Day, another lesson learned,” he said. “Next year would probably be better because of the exposure we’re getting on this project.”

Meanwhile, Malaran said that both SGA and Fil-Taga are hopeful that they can spring up a souvenir booklet with 40 pages of advertisements, which should help them meet their $3,000-goal.

“That amount will be considered a good beginning,” he said.

Malaran said another tournament that will serve as a fundraiser may possibly be held this December and hopes other golf associations will join in.