All set for next week’s NMC Open

All is set for Saturday’s 6th Annual NMC Foundation Open at the Laolao Bay Golf Resort, as the organizing committee is making sure everything is in order before the first golfer tees off on April 26.

The NMC Foundation Open organizing committee met Friday afternoon at the Kili Café at the Hyatt Regency Saipan to give an update on their ongoing preparations for the Commonwealth’s second “major” and discuss what other things they need to do before Saturday’s big event.

Present during the meeting were NMC Foundation Open chairman Michael Von Siebenthal, co-chair Ben Babauta, and members Mark Mendiola, Joanna Pai, and Ivan Quichocho. Pai and Quichocho are also board members of the NMC Foundation.

Quichocho said this year’s tournament would be different since they won’t be awarding trophies to the Top 3 placers and instead will hand out certificates along with cash prizes of $500, $300, and $200 in each flight. “There’s also a lot of exciting raffle prizes.”

He added aside from the cash prizes the champion of each flight – Championship, A, B, C, Senior, Ladies, and the double Peoria – will receive a round trip ticket from Continental Airlines.

“We are still working on the destination. But for sure the champions in each flight will be getting round trip tickets aside from their cash prize,” said Babauta.

Von Siebenthal said 80 have already registered for Saturday’s tournament as they avail of the early bird sign up. They are expecting more to sign up before Saturday. The entrance fee before the April 19 deadline was $85, which now goes up to $100 after Saturday.

Mendiola reminded all volunteers that a meeting would be held at the NMC conference room at 9am to discuss the assignments for Satuday’s tournament, which will follow a special double Peoria on all men’s flights.

The tournament will have a shotgun start of 7am. Proceeds from the 6th Annual NMC Foundation Open will go toward the needs of the islands’ lone tertiary institution.

The evening before the tournament, organizers of the 6th Annual NMC Foundation Open will hold a special sponsors cocktail party at the Club V of the Saipan Grand Hotel as well as post-tournament banquet for players at the Hyatt Regency Saipan poolside on game day.

For registration information, contact Mark Mendiola at 234-5498 ext. 1050 or visit Triple J Motors, NMC cashier’s window, or the Laolao Bay Golf Resort to sign up.

The NMC Foundation is a non-profit organization whose goal is to raise funds and support the Northern Marianas College, Saipan’s lone post-secondary educational institution. It is made up of individuals who are dedicated and committed to ensuring that CNMI students receive the utmost support in pursuing their educational goals.