TOC offers more ways to win

Like sand through the hour glass, so too are the days until the 10th Annual Tournament of Champions at the Lao Lao Bay Golf Resort this weekend, and organizers are offering yet another batch of ways for local duffers to win and save in the premier event of the season.

In just three days, participants of the TOC will have the chance to win prizes even before they step onto the golf course through the raffle at the Johnnie Walker Social at the Aqua Resort Club Lobby Bar from 6pm-8pm this Friday, Aug. 5. The golfing get together is for all of the sponsors and players as well as the TOC Organizing Committee, and all of the proceeds from the event will be donated to the NMI Crime Stoppers program by the folks at Johnnie Walker.

Chances of fortune abound the following two days as golfers take home any one or more of 23 Hole-In-One prizes reaching almost $400,000. Even if their strokes are not in full swing, the shankers, slicers, and strikers still have a chance to win with the purchase of one dollar raffle tickets at the check-in areas that permit the 10 lucky winners the opportunity to take one of 10 shots in the Bank of Hawaii, Johnnie Walker, and Car Quest Auto Parts Hole-In-One from 170 yards minimum.

If the planets align and all shots are made, each shot is worth $1,000,000 for a total of $10,000,000 in potential winnings for all 10 shots.

The raffle continues at the Player’s Banquet on Sunday evening after the tournament on from 6pm to 10pm where tickets will be on sale. With the exception of the cars and the cash being offered as Hole-In-One prizes on the courses, most of the other Hole-In-One prizes will carry over to the big show at the Grand Hotel.

According to 2005 TOC chairman Rodney Klinge, the prizes include luxury leather goods, jewelry, trips to exotic destinations, motorcycles, televisions and much more. “Several of these prizes being worth well in excess of $1,000 each, and the total prizes for the banquet raffle amount to nearly $40,000,” he said.

Even if the golfers can’t swing like their favorite professionals on the tour, they will have the chance to look like them as an Omega Double Eagle watch valued at $3,500 will be offered as a Hole-In-One/raffle prize—the same worn by Ernie Els, Sergio Garcia and Lian-wei Zhang. There will also be a Tag Heuer watch on the list of desired raffle prizes—the same designed and worn by Tiger Woods valued at over $2,500.

Aside from having the chance to win a number of prizes over the two-day golf-athon, all of the entrants will be able to bag some of their tools of the trade by taking advantage of the 25 percent off on all items at the LaoLao Bay Golf Resort Pro Shop on Saturday, Aug. 6, and Sunday, Aug. 7. In addition to the savings, some items may be discounted further.

Sponsors are also reminded to submit the exempt entry forms as soon as possible via fax by calling 670-233-1891.