Two in a row for ‘Kamikaze’

Joe “Kamikaze” Camacho, left, smiles after receiving his prize in the 16th Annual HANMI Charity Classic Golf Tournament from HANMI chair Gloria Cavanagh during the awards ceremony for the double-peoria competition last Saturday at the Grandvrio Hotel. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)

Former CNMI National Team member Joe “Kamikaze” Camacho continues to show the fine form that won him numerous titles in local competitions in the past, as he topped last Saturday’s 16th Annual HANMI Charity Classic Golf Tournament.

Less than a month after ruling the Senior Flight of the elite Governor’s Tournament of Champions, Camacho returned to the west course of the Laolao Bay Golf & Resort and scored a net 68 to prevail in the double-peoria tournament. Camacho, who had a 6 handicap, shot a 2-over par 38 on the front nine and an even par 36 on the back for a gross 74—the second best score in the field behind the 70 of former CNMI junior golfer Ryan Kim.

“It feels great to win tournaments again after I came back,” said Camacho, who returned home just early this year after leaving Saipan for Washington.

“While I enjoy competing and winning, I also want to help train our junior golfers and share to them my knowledge in the sport,” added Camacho, who works with CNMI Hall of Famer Tony Satur in training junior golfers at Laolao’s west and east courses.

The veteran golfer, who represented the Commonwealth in the South Pacific Games in the early 2000s, is also the player/coach of the CNMI Team that will compete in the Pacific Mini Games this December in Port Villa, Vanuatu.

“The players are doing well. They are putting in the time needed to prepare them for the competition. The good thing about this team is they have a lot of time to train and work on their strokes,” said Camacho.

Meanwhile, Woo Young Lee finished second behind Camacho after beating Gerald Guerrero in a scorecard tiebreak. Woo and Guerrero had identical net scores of 68.60 with the former posting a gross 83 and the latter logging an 89. Feng Chun Jin (net 69) and Frank Sablan (69.40) rounded out the Top 5 finishers, who received cash and in-kind prizes from the organizing Hotel Association on Northern Mariana Islands and tournament sponsors.

HANMI also recognized the No. 6 to No. 15 placers in the competition. Jayson John was ranked No. 6 after recording and net 69.40 and was followed by Yuko Togawa (69.60), Kim (70), David Largent (70.20), James Han (70.20), J.J. Atalig (70.40), Lito Mendoza (70.60), Peter Tenorio (70.80), Lucio Aldan (70.80), and Joey Dela Cruz (71).