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Koreans trump NMI in goodwill golf
Laolao Bay Golf & Resort operations manager Tony Satur, right, tees off, while Eu Suk Ko, left, and Dong Kyu Lee wait for their turn in last Sunday’s final day of the Ryder Cup-format Goodwill Golf Tournament between Saipan and LCL Korea on the west course of the Kagman golf facility. (Jon Perez)
Team LCL Korea bested Team CNMI in a Ryder Cup-style Goodwill Golf Tournament held over a rainy weekend on the west course of the Laolao Bay Golf & Resort.
The Koreans trumped Team Saipan, 11-4.
Both teams, which had 10 members each, were stacked with veteran golfers and past winners of various tournaments here on Saipan. They survived a wet and windy final day where play was halted a number of times due to heavy downpour.
Multi-titled Jeff Taylor along with Pacific Games veterans Joe Camacho, Harry Nakamura, Franco Santos, Tony Satur, and Louie Tilipao led the charge for Team Saipan that also had Paul Kaipat, David Largent, Eric Mandell, and Manny Mangarero as members.
Laolao Bay Golf president Chang Ho Kim spearheaded the Koreans along with two-time Guam BWM Junior Open champion Edward Lee, instructor Seung Woo Kang, and last year’s Tournament of Champions B Flight winner Dong Kyu Lee. Eu Suk Ko, Kyun Jun Suk, 2011 TOC B Flight champ Young Woo Lee, 2008 NMC Open title holder Joung Hoon Park, and youngsters Ryan Kim and Sean Lee were also part of the Korean side.
The Koreans opened up with a comfortable 4.5-0.5 lead after Saturday’s first day in the two-person best ball format with Ryan Kim and Suk completing a 2-up win over Santos and Taylor.
Camacho and Nakamura halved the point with Sean Lee and Edward Lee, while the pair of Kang and Young Woo Lee completed a 7-up victory against Tilipao and Mangarero.
Chang Ho Kim teamed up with Park to beat Kaipat and Satur, 1-up, while Dong Kyu Lee and Ko also scored a 1-up win over Largent and Mandell.
Team Saipan had a better showing last Sunday in the single best ball format with Mandell’s 4-up victory over Kang keeping the scored tied at 1.5. Taylor shared the point with Park, while Sean Lee completed a 4-up win over Santos. The Koreans did not lose a match after Kang’s setback to Mandell.
Young Woo Lee, Suk, Chang Ho Kim, Ko, and Dong Kyu Lee each scored wins over Largent, Tilipao, Kaipat, Mangarero, and Satur to complete a 6.5-3.5 decision. Camacho and Nakamura scored Team Saipan’s other wins against Edward Lee and Ryan Kim, respectively.
