Camachos top Aluf Marianas tourney

Joe “Kamikaze” and Xerxes Camacho show off their low gross plaque during the awards ceremony of last Saturday’s 2021 Aluf Marianas Health Golf Classic at the Rota Golf Resort & Country Club. (Contributed Photo)

The father-and-son pair of Joe “Kamikaze” and Xerxes Camacho added another feather in their cap by winning the gross category of the 2021 Aluf Marianas Health Golf Classic last Saturday at the Rota Golf Resort & Country Club.

The Camachos shot a 5-under 67 to beat all comers and pocketed the $500 purse. They narrowly beat the second place pair of Joel Hocog and D.J. Narro, who came in at 4-under 68. The gross score competition was a winner-take-all division as there was no purse for finishing runner-up.

Joe Camacho said more than winning tournaments, playing with his son in the sport that they both love is the biggest prize of them all.

“It’s always been an overwhelming feeling playing and spending time with my kids and winning at the same time. It’s like no other feeling. Words just can’t explain it. It just touches places in you that you didn’t know it existed,” he said.

The elder Camacho said conditions at the Rota Golf Resort & Country Club have been improving lately and this has led to some golfers playing better golf.

“The course conditions weren’t that bad except for the greens. The greens were the real challenge, but it’s getting better than the last tournament we had.”

In the double Peoria category, Leo Ganacias and Henry Manglona topped the field with their net 70, followed by Hocog and Narro with their 70.4. The Camachos wound up third in the low net with their 70.6. Completing the Top 5 were Harry Nakamura and Kaegel Taitano (70.8) and Ben Pelisamen and Tony Benavente (71).

For the women, Bobbie Guerrero and Loraine Babauta triumphed with their 71.2. Runners-up were Chloe Hocog and Rose Quitugua with their 72.4, while Terry Guerrero and Lou Kim’s 73.6 was good for third place. Yuko Togawa and Bennet Seman (73.8) and Sherlyn Jones and Dolores Yamagishi (74.8) round up the Top 5 for the women.

In the longest drive, Togawa was without peer in hole No. 8, while Marco Peter clubbed it in hole No. 11. Closest to the pin winners were Hocog in hole No. 3 and 7, Narro in hole No. 12, and J.J. Atalig in hole No. 14.

First place prize for both the men’s and women’s double Peoria divisions was $1,000, while runners-up took home $500. Third place received $250. A total of 56 golfers took part in the 2021 Aluf Marianas Health Golf Classic.

The tournament, a collaboration among Marianas Health and its group of companies and the Aluf Golf Association of Luta, intended to raise health and healthcare awareness for the community on Rota, while raising funds to go toward community and beautification projects throughout the island, especially during the upcoming summer months.