Thomas Kim deals 1st place in HANMI Golf Tourney

Thomas Kim found himself atop the 22nd Annual HANMI Charity Classic Golf Tournament played at the Coral Ocean Resort last Saturday.

The awards banquet was held at the Crowne Plaza Resort Saipan last Saturday night where the winners were presented with their prizes.

Kim topped the popular blackjack double peoria tournament by shooting a net score of 70.2. He fired a gross score of 87 powered by a handicap of 16.8.

Second was 16-year-old Zhi Yun Li, who shot a net score of 70.8. His gross score was 72, with a handicap of 1.2.

Third went to Joseph Sasamoto with a net score of 71.6, and a gross score of 68. His handicap was -3.6.

Kim, Li, and Sasamoto all went home with $500 each. In addition, Kim won a complimentary slot to the 2024 Marianas Tourism Cup Golf Classic which will be held on Oct. 12.

Kim, the Marianas Visitors Authority’s Marketing manager, was not present during the banquet and his award was received by MVA Community projects manager Martin Duenas.

Duenas said he was trailing Kim throughout the tourney. “I was trailing him, but I crashed. He did an awesome job—he was persistent. Blackjack double peoria is anyone’s game when you do the raffle,” he said.

He said the course and conditions that day were hot. “It was hot later in the day and I saw Tom was sweating. We were kind of losing control, but I think Tom did a great job by keeping intact and being persistent.”

For Li, a student at Marianas High School, he said he tried his best and said he wasn’t expecting to win second place. “I thought I had a good chance to make the Top 10,” he said. On what he thinks of the format, he said, “I think it’s more fun because a lot more people play… In this tournament, everybody can play—everyone has a chance. I got lucky because it was full already but a spot opened up just two days ago and I got in.”

Fourth to sixth place—Henry Liang, Joe Esteves, and J.J. Atalig—pocketed $300 each.

From seventh to ninth place for $200 were Jim Arenovski, Youngmin Choi, and Rick Sablan.

Consolation prizes of $100 each for landing in predesignated spots on the pecking order were Giyeong Kim (19th place), Ben Jones (39th place), Joe “Kamikaze” Camacho (99th place), and Antonio Guerrero (119th place).

Optional play winners, who are now $200 richer, were Li Xiong Zhe on hole No. 3 (5ft.), Marco Peter on No. 7 (4.75ft.), Sasamoto on No. 12 (4 in.), and Hyun Sook Lim on No. 14 (5ft and 5 in.) in the closest to the pin competition.

Leo Ganacias had the most accurate drive on hole No. 16 at 10.5 inches, while Li teed the longest drive on hole No. 18 at 315 yards.

In the circle at hole No. 6, the golfers were Cameron Nicolas, Patrick Fitial, Dennis Mendiola, Patrick Cepeda, Gap Soo Kim, Ned Norita, Harry Nakamura, and Bart Jackson.

The tournament was capped and sold out at 144 golfers.