16th Annual Tournament of Champions announces dates

The 16th Annual Tournament of Champions, the premier golf event on Saipan, will be played on Aug. 6 and 7 at the LaoLao Bay Golf & Resort East and West Course.

The TOC tournament fee remains at $175, which was the fee during the first tournament in 1996. “Last year we had many new players and our regular participants told us they really appreciated the lower price, especially with the current economic situation,” said tournament director Ben Babauta. The fee includes two days of golf and the awards banquet, which will be held on Sunday at Laolao Bay’s The Grill Restaurant immediately following the tournament.

Over $400,000 worth of prizes are at stake in the two-day tournament, including hole-in-one prizes worth $50,000 on both the east and west courses, courtesy of AON, and two brand new cars from Joeten Motors and Triple J Motors. There will be two Business Elite Tickets to the U.S. courtesy of Delta and $25,000 from Bank of Hawaii to round out the hole-in-one prizes. In addition, $1,000 will be awarded to closest to the pin winner and a hole-in-one prize of a year of free golf courtesy of LaoLao Bay Golf & Resort.

“Our tournament awards and hole-in-one prizes have made TOC the most popular golf tournament in the Marianas. We are looking forward to one of our players hitting a hole-in-one and taking home a big prize,” Babauta added.

Over the last 15 years, TOC has given over $500,000 to the Saipan Beautification Fund, which has most recently been used to improve the tree-lined traffic medians in Chalan Piao, Dan Dan and Susupe. Funds were also used for the revitalization of the Garapan special district. In addition, TOC also contributed funds for the Paseo de Marianas, and the beautification of the Port to Park pathway.

“Most of these projects require regular maintenance and we are happy to not only complete the initial projects, but keep them beautiful for our tourists and residents to enjoy,” Babauta said. “It is very important to thank our golfers, sponsors and committee members who make it possible to continue these projects.”

First place winners in the Men’s Championship, A, B, C, Senior and Super Senior Flights will each receive $600 cash, $500 for second, $400 for third, a digital camera to fourth, and $100 DFS gift certificate for fifth place. The Ladies Low Gross champion will receive $600, $500 is awarded for second, and $400 for third place. The Ladies Low Net first through third places will all receive a trophy.

In 2010, TOC first timer Geon Ju Lee of Korea won the Men’s Championship Flight, Jin Woo Park and Bae Young Man were in a tight race for second and third.

In the A Flight, Xian Lai Cui was first with Nathan Zhao and Tars Olopai placing second and third respectively. In the B flight, Young Woo Lee won the scorecard tiebreak over Prescil D. Azarcon and Hyoung Kim Il was third. Eun Sam Cui won the C flight, and Danny Quitugua had a second place finish with Takashi Nakata placing third.

Tony Satur topped the Senior flight with Edward Manibusan and Vic Borja tied. Manibusan was awarded 2nd place by scorecard tiebreak and Borja third. In the Super Senior Flight, Duke Yoo won first, Bill Garris was second, and Jesus M. Taitano was third.

In Ladies Flight, Keina D. Kim won low gross followed by Noriko Togawa in second place over Jung Yoom Kim. In the Ladies Low Net, Young Hee Yoo came in first while I Sun Park placed second and Sherlyn P. Jones was third.

This year’s TOC is supported by Platinum sponsors DFS Galleria, Marianas Visitors Authority, and Laolao Bay Golf & Resort. Gold sponsors include AON Insurance, Bank of Hawaii, Docomo Pacific, IT&E, Joeten Motors, Miller Lite, Nike Golf, Pepsi, Shell, Tan Holdings, and Triple J Motors. Other supporters are silver sponsors Budweiser, Hard Rock Café, Jack Hardy Images Saipan, Saipan Computer Services, KSPN Channel 2/Visitors Channel, KZMI/KCNM and bronze sponsors Asiana, Hyatt Regency Saipan, Island Apparel, Kautz Glass, Herman’s Modern Bakery and Rota Water.

For more information about sponsorship opportunities for the 16th Annual TOC, contact Jim Arenovski at 287-7037. Golfers who wish to register should go to www.tocsaipan.com.[B][I] (TOC)[/I][/B]