HANMI golf tourney coming soon

For the fourth straight year, the Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands would host a golf tournament that would benefit various charities, as well as the community.

The tournament is scheduled to tee off on April 2, 2005 at the Coral Ocean Point Golf Course, with slots limited to the first 150 players who register and pay the entrance fee.

Showtime for the tourney is 10:30am while shutgun start is at noon.

The tournament will feature six flights, namely A Flight, B Flight, C Flight, Senior, and Ladies.

First place winners for the A, B, C, and Senior flights will receive $500 and a trophy , while second place winners will go home with $300 and a trophy. Third place prizes include $200 and a trophy.

First and second place winners for the Ladies Flight are identical to those in the mentioned flights, however, a $500 first place prize will also be awarded to the golfer with the lowest gross score.

As in the years before, the tournament is stocked with huge hole-in-one prizes, including a 2005 vehicle sponsored by Microl Corporation (Hole 3); $20,000 sponsored by Shell Marianas (Hole 7); a 2005 vehicle sponsored by Triple J Motors (Hole 12); and $25,000 sponsored by Bank of Hawaii (Hole 14).

Interested golfers may also participate in the Nearest to Pin, Longest Drive, and Most Accurate Drive competitions, of which require a fee of $25. Winners of the contests would receive $200.

Other prizes that would be raffled off are roundtrip tickets to Australia and Manila courtesy of Continental Micronesia, as well as a roundtrip ticket to Japan courtesy of Japan Airlines, and much more.

According to HANMI, entrance fee for the tournament is set at $150, however, individuals who register and submit payment by March 29, 2005 would only be charged $125.

HANMI official Ed Salas indicated during a recent interview that the tournament has grown over the years and continues to be successful through the contributions of sponsors as well as the players.

Last year, 154 players teed off, helping HANMI gross a total of $33,000, with a net of $15,000.

Winners included Joung Hoon Park for the Championship with a score of 75; Tsukasa Kuribayashi for A Flight with a 73; Anthony Klinge for the B Flight with a 79; Ted Malaran for C Flight with 84; John Sheather for the seniors with a score of 79; and Yeon-Ja Yong for the Ladies low grow with 80 and Alice Taitano for the Ladies first place with a 70.6.

Reigning nearest to pin winner is Patrick Smith, while Richard Kautz took home prizes for both most accurate drive and longest drive.

Salas said HANMI contributed $7,000 to Karidat, CHC Volunteers, American Red Cross, and the NMI Crime Stoppers, as well as HANMI scholarships and other programs.

For more information or to register, contact Lynn Knight at 233-3773, Michael von Siebenthal at 234-1234, Yoshiro Kishimoto at 234-7000, Yoichi Matsumura at 322-8785, Salas at 234-5050, Yutaka Fujita at 322-3311, Jojo Dass at 234-6449, Paul Camacho at 234-6412, Joe Asanuma at 322-0770, Juko Ishikawa at 234-5900, or Jerry John at 234-7976.