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Castro tops Seniors Flight
Guam’s Michael Castro, third from left, topped the Senior Flight of the 2023 NMC Open Golf Tournament last weekend at the Lao Lao Bay Golf & Resort. (MARK RABAGO)
Michael Castro made the most of his weekend getaway to Saipan after the Guam golfer topped the Seniors Flight of the 2023 NMC Open Golf Tournament last weekend at the Lao Lao Bay Golf & Resort.
The 56-year-old Guam AutoSpot salesman shot a two-round total of 152 after firing a 79 on Day 1 and improving to a 72 on Day 2.
Castro, who always enjoys coming down to Saipan, had to come back from being five strokes down to take the 2023 diadem.
“I played well and it was a good day. It was all fun. Always worth it coming over here. My putting, chipping, and driving are working today (Sunday) after not so much yesterday (Saturday). Today it all clicked,” he said.
His best holes of the tournament were understandably the two holes he birdied on Sunday, while the most problematic ones were essentially all the holes on Friday (practice round) and Saturday (Round 1).
“The hardest were really the part 3s on the east side because I never played there before and not knowing the distance is always hard.”
Castro dedicated his Senior Flight win to his wife, Claire, and their grandchildren.
“It’s also not as hot here compared to Guam. I think I will come home to Guam a little bit whiter,” he joked.
Federico Flores came in second with a total of 154, built around an 80 on the first day and a 74 on the second day. Joseph Sasamoto actually tied Flores after flipping the former’s scores on Day 1 and Day 2, but lost via scorecard tiebreaker.
In the C Flight, Nicolas Leon Guerrero won with a two-round score of 173 (88-85) with Kwan Joong Kim (175, 84-91) and James Lin 175 (84-91) coming in second and third, respectively. Kim took the runner-up plum via another scorecard tiebreaker.
Like winners in the Championship Flight, A Flight, B Flight, and Ladies Flight, winners of the Seniors Flight and C Flight won $500 for first place, $300 for second place, and $200 for third place.
