Jones leads winners in NMC golf tourney

Low Net champion Sherlyn Jones, right, and runner-up Yuko Togawa pose for a photo while waiting for the awards ceremony for the 13th NMC Foundation Open Golf Tournament last Saturday at the Laolao Bay Golf and Resort. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Sherlyn Jones made it to the winners list of last Saturday’s 13th NMC Foundation Open Golf Tournament held on the west course of the Laolao Bay Golf and Resort.

Jones, who missed last year’s podium, was the top finisher in the Ladies Low Net category after recording an 83. She was nearly consistent with her game last weekend after tallying a 42 on the front and 41 on the back to place ahead of five others.

Yuko Togawa came in at second with her net 86, built around a pair of 43s. Seon Hee Kim (93) was ranked third, followed by Terry Deleon Guerrero (94), Matilda Hocog (99), and Gabrielle Compton (104).

In the Ladies Low Gross, Chang Hee Yoo shot a 80 to dethrone 2015 champion Yong Sook Kwon. Yoo fired a 39 and 41 on the front and back nines against the 45 and 37 of Kwon for a two-stroke win.

Meanwhile, Seung San Choi, Rene Batallones, Medson Ladore, Edvon Sze, and Jeff G. Taylor were the other flight winners in the annual tournament which aimed to raise funds to support NMC’s academic programs and services.

Choi earned a three-stroke victory in the Championship Flight against Dony Young Lee as the former recorded a 3-over par 39 in the first nine holes and 1-over par 37 in the last for a gross 76. Lee had a 79, matching Choi’s score on the front nine, but faltering on the back with his 4-over 40. Adam Lee Kuen rounded out the Top 3 after his 80 (40s on both nines), while six others joined the toughest flight in the competition.

Batallones lorded it over in the 11-player A Flight after shooting an 82, just one shot ahead of Louie Tilipao. Batallones secured the division title after bouncing back on the back nine with his 39, four strokes better than his 43 on the back. Tilipao also tallied a 39 in the last nine hole, but had 44 in the first to settle for the runner-up honors, while John Reyes completed the Top 3 after registering an 86 (46 and 40).

In the B Flight, Ladore won on the scorecard tiebreak against Paul Kaipat. The two golfers had similar 84 gross scores with Ladore posting a 44 and 40 on the front and back nines and Kaipat tallying a 43 and 41. Danny Quitugua made it to the podium with his 86 (44 and 42).

In the C Flight, Sze shot a 46 and 44 for a gross 90 and a two-stroke win against Joe Chen, who recorded a 44 on the front and 48 on the back on drop to second. Kevin McCale finished third with his gross 93 (47 and 46).

In the Senior Flight, Taylor escaped with a one-shot victory against Tooshiyuki Mori and Nick Sablan, who logged similar gross scores of 80s. Taylor started slow with his 42 on the front nine, but still secured the win after a field-best 1-over par 37 on the back for a gross 79. Mori had a 41 and 39, while Sablan tallied 40s on both nines.

The Top 3 finishers in each flight received cash prizes with the champion taking home $500 and the second and third placers pocketing $300 and $200, respectively.