Leina steals thunder at TOC

Leina Kim, center, poses with DFS Galleria president Marian Aldan-Pierce, left, and Titan Imports, Inc. managing director John Antenorcruz during the awards ceremony for the 19th Tournament of Champions yesterday at the Laolao Bay Golf Resort. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

She earned the honor for shooting a 3-under par 141—the best score among the more than 150 players who joined the tournament held over the weekend. Kim outstanding performance featured a 3-under par 69 in the second and last round yesterday. She capped the tournament with six birdies, 10 pars, and only two bogeys to finish way ahead of runner-up and Guam junior golfer Rachel Peterson, who carded a 19-over par 163.

“I got off to a strong start today before slowing down in the last few holes. But overall, I did well,” said Kim, who stretched her streak in TOC to sixth and has won the Ladies Flight seven times, moving her two victories away from tying the record of veteran golfer Noriko Togawa.

The back-to-back RMAC (Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) Player of the Year began the last round of the tournament with an impressive 6-under par 30 in the first nine holes before closing out with a 3-over par 39 in the last nine. In the first round last Saturday, Kim was pretty consistent, tallying 36s on both nines for an even par 72.

“I felt like I should have gone under par, too in the first round, but I made a couple of mistakes in the last few holes. However, I still felt good after the first round and concentrated more in today’s game,” said Kim, who was already ahead by 10 strokes against Peterson (82) after the first round.

The 3-under 69 the Colorado State University-Pueblo standout registered was her second best at TOC, as she posted a 7-under par 65 in the 2011 competition to get her third straight (fourth overall then) Ladies Flight crown. She logged the best record in the first round of the 2011 tournament to keep the lead and the victory despite struggling in the final round after tying Noriko’s score of 74.

Noriko’s daughter, Yuko, joined Kim and Peterson in the Top 3 in the Ladies Flight low gross, as the younger Togawa posted a 21-under par 165. She set an 85 in the first round before finishing strong with an 80 in yesterday’s second round.

Noriko was fourth in the low gross and third in the low net after registering 147.6. Noriko sported a 9.6 handicap and shot an 85 and 83 in the first and second rounds to place behind Chang Hee Yoo and Mi Ae Jeon. Yoo, who had a 10.8 handicap, also had a net 147.6 and duplicated Noriko’s scores in the two rounds, but won the tiebreak. Jeon carded an 86 and 83 and deducting her 13.2 handicap, she ended up with a field-best net of 146.2

Lee dethrones Poe
Meanwhile, last year’s Championship Flight Top 2 finishers Geon Ju Lee and Guam’s Daryl Poe were at it again in last weekend’s competition.

Lee went on to avenge his 2013 loss to Poe after finishing the two-round event with a 4-over par 148, just one stroke ahead of Poe (149). The Guam golfer took the 2013 crown in the centerpiece flight after edging Lee in the playoffs, making a bogey on par-4, 373-yard No. 17 hole on the east course against the double bogey of the Korean.

In yesterday’s tournament, the deciding hole was the par 5, 545-yard No. 18 on the east course. Lee birdied the last hole, while Poe only saved par, to fall short on his bid to secure back-to-back championships at TOC. The visiting golfer played catch up in the second round after firing 38s on both nines in the first round for a 4-over par 76 and a two-stroke deficit against Lee. Lee had a 1-under par on the front nine in the first round and a 3-over par 39 on the back for a 2-over par 74 in the opening day. The eventual champion had the same scores, but his 1-over par 35 came in the last nine holes to offset his 3-over par 39 in the first and keep the upper hand against Poe.

Guam junior golfer and 14-year-old Brent Salas rounded out the Top 3 in the Championship Flight with his two-day total of 8-over par 152 (75 and 77). Joung Hoon Park and another junior golfer Sean Lee completed the Top 5 finishers who were recognized during the awards ceremony yesterday. Park totaled 155 (77 and 78), just one shot ahead of Lee (80 and 76).

Other participants in the Championship Flight were Jason Yi (158), Shi Feng Jin (158), Adam Hardwicke (159), J.J. Atalig (160), Joji Taguchi (163), and William Retardo (166).

Meanwhile, winners in the other flights will be reported later this week.