Lee leads NMC Open winners

  Geon Ju Lee topped the 10-player Championship Flight of the 10th Annual Northern Marianas College Foundation Open held on the west course of the LaoLao Bay Golf & Resort last Saturday.

Lee hit the turn in first place with a 35 and finished the back with another 35 for a 2-under par 70. It was Lee’s second win this month, as he also ruled the HANMI Cup on June 3.

Three strokes back came runner-up Seung Woo Kang, who stumbled out of the gate with a 40, but roared back on the backside with a 33 for 1-over par 73.

Adam Hardwicke rounded out the third spot with a solid 36 on the front and a 38 on the back for 2-over par 74.

In the A Flight, Steve Jang bested 15 others with his 77 (39-38). He finished two strokes ahead of Joseph Muna (42-37), while Ko Eui Suk edged out Enoch S Lim in the sudden death playoff to claim third place. Suk and Lim finished the round with identical gross scores of 80.

In the B Flight, Jeong Yoon Kim scratched a 39 on the front and finished the back nine strong with a 35 for a gross score of 74 that easily earned first place over 22 other players.

Eight strokes back came both Asarcon Presiciano (42-40) and Benjamin Mabborang(42-40) with the former winning the runner-up honors in sudden death.

John Reyes Jr. earned bragging rights in the 35-player C Flight with a raw count of 84 (44-40). He narrowly escaped young gun Lucy Park by just one stroke (45-40), while Arvin Ogo’s 87 (46-41) was good enough for third place.

Veteran golfer Ed Manibusan turned in a 38 and a 36 for a gross 74 to win the Senior Flight over 15 other competitors. Richard Kautz (38-40) finished four strokes back in second place, while Joseph Sablan’s (40-40) 80 settled for third.

In the Ladies Flight, Leina Kim bagged first place over a dozen others. He started out with a 36 and finished the back with a 39 for a solid 75 raw count. Shiori Onoue managed a 41 and a 38 for a gross total of 79, while Yuko Togawa (38-42) took third place with an even 80.

First place finishers in all flights were awarded United Airlines flight packages to anywhere between Guam and Micronesia, Hong Kong, Manila, or Australia and $500 cash. Second and third place finishers won $300 and $200, respectively.

NMC would like to thank all the sponsors, supporters, and volunteers, who made the event possible.

By Walter J. Sutherland
Reporter