Team Unity wins NWA golf tourney
Four local golfers had reason to celebrate this past Sunday, June 13, as Steve Nygard, Joe “Kamikaze” Camacho, Charles Cepeda, and Alex Sablan won the inaugural NWA Golf Tournament for the Children of the CNMI at the LaoLao Bay Golf Resort—West Course.
The four-man team took the lowest net score of the event with a team average of 68.20 to edge out Team Kautz Glass for the tournament gold. Each member of the winning team took home $100 cash and a professional golf bag. The second place team made up of Rick Kautz, Ed Manibusan, Tony Satur, and Anthony Klinge, actually had the lowest gross team score with a 57 (-15). They didn’t do so badly for themselves as they each brought home $75 cash and a bottle of fine wine.
Team Gary was just off the pace, scoring 69.20, good enough for third place. For their efforts, Dennis Hoogerhuis, Larry Dinger, William Piette, and Jung Hyun Sung were each awarded $50 cash and a $25 gift certificate for Coffee Care restaurant.
“I think it was a very successful event, despite the multiple tournaments offered this weekend and another tournament played on the same day. We raised over $1,500 for the Library Friends for the Children’s Library Project,” said tournament organizer Ben Babauta.
The tournament got kicked off when the 47 golfers teed it up at the 11am shotgun start. Players used the Double Peoria format during the 18-hole scramble. Of the many golfers present for the tournament, notables included Lt. Governor Diego Benevente, Washington Representative Peter A. Tenorio, and Ambassador Piette. The golfers were also treated when Miss CNMI International, Kenyelyn Arriola graced the tournament with her presence.
“Kamikaze” Camacho also bagged $100 Travel Coupon Voucher for NWA and a dozen Nike Golf balls for being closest to the pin on hole number three (10’), as well as another $100 Travel Coupon Voucher for NWA along with a dozen Tour Special golf balls for the closest on hole number seven (10’).
Jinwoo Park of Team Asia was the longest striker on hole number six, earning an umbrella and Sun Shield for his efforts, while Ed Manibusan received the same for his feats on hole number 12.
Unfortunately for the golfers, nobody was able to pull of the unlikely feat of landing a hole-in-one on hole No. 3 to win one roundtrip NWA Business Class ticket to anywhere in the U.S.A. or Asia. The same went for the players on hole No. 7 (one round trip NWA Coach Class ticket anywhere in the U.S.A. or Asia).
Triple J Motors offered a 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer to the lucky entrant that could ace hole No. 13, and Joeten Motors would have handed over the keys to a Honda Civic for the same feat on hole No. 17, but all of the players drove home in the same cars from which they came.
