Veteran golfer Feng Chun Jin bagged first place in the Championship Flight of the Northern Marianas College’s 16th Annual Foundation Golf Tournament held last Saturday at the east course of the Laolao Bay Golf & Resort.
Jin, who has joined countless golf tourneys in the CNMI for the past nine years, topped all foes in the tournament’s premier division with a 2-under-par 70. Jin was awarded a $500 cash prize.
Jin’s best hole of the tournament was downhill hole No. 15. Jin was able to score an eagle after three chip strokes to complete the par-5 hole.
Placing second in the Championship Flight was Gi Yeong Kim with a 3-over-par 75 followed by J.J. Atalig who completed the Top 3 with a 4-over-par 76.
In the A Flight of the men’s division, Ki Soo Kim defeated all comers with a 2-under-par 70 and was welcomed into the Champions Flight. Following Kim was Ned Norita who finished with a 3-over-par 75. Completing the Top 3 was Victor Salas who finished with a 7-over-par 79.
In the B Flight, Bill Quitano bagged first place with a 4-over-par 76 to gain access into the A Flight. Alvin Salas finished a close second behind a 7-over-par 79 followed by Aaron Benavente who completed the tournament with an 8-over-par 80.
Peng Chang Wu took first in the C Flight to gain entrance into the B Flight with 9-over-par 81. Isaac Aguon came in second with a 13-over-par 85, while Joshua Atalig rounded up the Top 3 with a 16-over-par 88.
In the Ladies Flight, Sun Suk Kim landed first place with a 9-over-par 81 followed by Yuko Togawa who finished with a 10-over-par 82. Completing the Top 3 was Gil Ah Kim Yoon who finished with a 12-over-par 84.
Department of Lands and Natural Resource Secretary Tony Benavente topped the Seniors Flight with a 2-over-par 74 followed by Joseph Sablan who scored a 4-over-par 76. Joe “Kamikaze” Camacho made the Top 3 with a 5-over-par 77.
In an interview with NMC interim president Frankie Eliptico, he said the tournament, which was postponed for the last three years, turned out to be a great success. The fundraiser garnered over $16,000 for the construction of a new campus following the destruction brought to the former campus by Super Typhoon Yutu back in 2018.
Despite the many changes made in order to comply with the new normal as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, NMC was still able to host a successful tourney, Eliptico added.
Some of new changes include relocating the banquet outdoors, implementation of masks, social distancing, three temperature checkpoints upon entrance, and providing hand sanitizers all around.
Eliptico said despite the recent surge of community cases from an identified community cluster, NMC was adamant about pushing forward with the event after three years of postponements.
Eliptico stressed that everything was made possible through the help of its sponsors who have contributed to the foundation’s fundraiser tirelessly for the past 16 years.
Major sponsors for NMC’s 16th Annual Golf Tournament include Bank of Guam, Blackwood Furniture, Dial Rent-to-Own, Express Financial, IT&E, Island Training Solutions, J.C.T Enterprises, Inc., KZMI FM, LaoLao Bay Golf and Resort, Marpac, Power 99, Saipan Computer Services, and the Tan Siu Lin Foundation.