Leina wins PH Independence Day tourney

Leina Kim won the Philippine Independence Day Open Golf Tournament championship last Sunday after besting a field of 45 at the Coral Ocean Point Golf Resort.

Eight days after ruling the 2011 HANMI Cup on the same golf course, the 19-year-old Colorado State University at Pueblo student annexed her second Philippine Independence Day championship trophy after shooting a net 71.8 in the double peoria tournament.

“I’m really, really surprised I came out on top today. There were a lot of good golfers who played the tournament and I guess I’m just lucky that despite that and the scorching heat this morning, I won,” said Kim during the awards banquet held Sunday evening at the Aqua Resort Club.

Kim, who ruled the same tournament in 2007, dedicated her win to her brother Michael, who is currently undergoing basic training in the U.S. Army; and sister Haina, who is already serving in Afghanistan.

Kim immediately tamed the greens and fairways of COP, as she took the lead of the Fil-Taga Golf Association-organized tournament in the front nine.

Birdying holes No. 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9, Kim more than made up for bogeys on holes No. 6 and 8 to go along with pars in the second and fourth holes to finish with a 3-under 33.

She slowed down a bit in the back nine, however, as she alternated bogeys and pars from the 10th to 13th hole before making a birdie on the 14th.

Kim finished with three more bogeys but managed to save par on the 17th to wind up with a 4-over 40.

For the one-day tournament, Kim finished with a 73 gross, but minus her miniscule 1.2 handicap, she came away with the winning score.

Carl Hocog was runner-up, as the Department of Public Safety officer finished with a 72.8 net built around a gross of 80 and a superior 7.1 handicap.

Edward Manibusan came in third with a net 73. The former Superior Court presiding judge had a gross of 79 and a handicap of 6.0.

Despite registering the day’s lowest gross of 72, J.J. Atalig settled only for third place honors after his -1.2 handicap increased his post-handicap score to 73.2.

Also landing in the money round were Manny Alvarez and former CNMI national golfer George Taguchi, who both finished in fourth place with identical net scores of 73.4.

Alvarez fired a gross score of 89 and had a handicap of 15.6, while Taguchi shot a 77 and had a handicap of only 3.6.

Kim took home $700 for her feat, while Hocog pocketed $500 for coming in second. Manibusan was $400 richer for bagging third, while Alvarez and Taguchi got $150 apiece.

Kim and Taguchi, meanwhile, joined Jung Eun Teack as winners in the closest to the pin competition.

The 2011 Philippine Independence Day tournament also served as Fil-Taga president Ted Malaran’s swan song as he is set to leave Aqua Resort Club at the end of this month.