Jeong rules Club Lao tourney

Jae Yeol Jeong, right, is all smiles after winning the 2017 Annual Club Lao Charity Golf Tournament held over the weekend at the Laolao Bay Golf and Resort in Kagman. Joining Jeong in the photo are, from left, J.J. Atalig, Feng Chun Jin, Ryan Park Kim, and Laolao Bay president Chang Ho Kim. (Jon Perez)

Jae Yeol Jeong bested a strong field of local and visiting golfers to rule the 2017 Annual Club Lao Charity Golf Tournament held over the weekend at the Laolao Bay Golf and Resort in Kagman.

Jeong finished with a net score of 140.8 and a gross of 154 in the tournament that had a double Peoria format. He shot a gross score of 78 and net 68.4 in the first round played last Saturday on the west course and gross 76 and net 72.4 on the east course for the final round last Sunday.

The Korean was one shot short (gross) from earning a qualifying spot for the Club Lao match play set on Nov. 11 and 12, and the inaugural Marianas International Cup 2017 later this month. Only the Top 8 in each of the men’s, women’s, and seniors divisions qualified for the match play, while the best eight male golfers and the finest four ladies earned spots in the Marianas International Cup.

Jeong finished ninth, tying Seung San Choi (77 and 77) as they posted similar two-round scores of 154 and were behind the 153 made by qualifiers Yong Woo Lee (77 and 76) and Gi Yeong Kim (76 and 77).

Other qualifiers were Feng Chun Jin, who came in at second with rounds of 72 and 67 for a gross score of 139 and 141.4 net and J.J. Atalig, who placed third (71 and 70) with a 141 gross and 142.20 for the final double Peoria tally.

Fourth finisher Ryan Park Kim, the Championship Flight winner in this year’s Tournament of Champions, tamed the west and east courses with a 65 and 68 for the best score of 133 and net 142.6. Jong Hoon Park was fifth with rounds of 74 and 76 (150) and double Peoria scores of 72.8 and 70 (142.8).

Park leads the Top 8 men’s qualifiers in both the match play format and the Marianas International Cup set on Oct. 28 at the Kingfisher Golf Links and Oct. 29 at Laolao Bay. Young Woo Lee, Gi Yeong Kim, Dong Young Lee, and Seung Woo Kang were the other men’s players that made the cut for both tournaments.

Hyew Duck Jang leads the Seniors gross qualifiers after rounds of 76 and 74 for 155 for a six-stroke win over Dennis Williams (161). Tars Olopai and Joe Tenorio tallied 165 each for third and fourth places, while Alex Tudela came in at fifth with a 167. Eli Buenaventura (168), Manny Mangarero (169), and John B. Cepeda (171) were the other qualifiers in the division.

Perennial women’s Top 3 finisher Yuko Togawa is the top qualifier in the Ladies division both in the match play and Marianas International Cup after having rounds of 79 and 77 for a 156. Me Ae Jeon (161), Chang Hee Yoo (166), Noriko Togawa (167), Mayao Miyamoto (167), Young Sook Kwon (167), Yu Ri Kim (168), and Shiori Onoue (169) also gained slots in the match play.

For the Marianas International Cup, Yuko and Noriko Togawa, Jeon, and Yoo earned spots and will go up against the best female players from China, Japan, and South Korea.

Meanwhile, Atalig had the longest drive on the first day at 270 yards at No. 6, while Jin and Sherlyn Jones got closest to the pins honors at Nos. 3 and 17. Jin was closest at eight feet and seven inches, while Jones was at one foot and five inches.

Hans Mickelson, on the second day, had the accurate drive at two feet and 1.5 inches, while Marco Peter was the closest at No. 4 (four feet and 10 inches), and Sung Man Cho at No. 15 (10 inches).