Dirty Dozen out to get Taitano

Mario Taitano will have his hands full when the defending champion of the Refaluwasch Golf Association Club Championship Tournament stakes his crown in the yearend golf bash tomorrow, Dec. 10, at the Kingfisher Golf Links in Talafofo.

Ten RGA Ace of the Month champions are out to dislodge Taitano from his lofty place on the top and take home the handsome 2005 RGA Club Championship cup.

They are Louie Tilipao (January), Jordan Kossam (April), Sasaki Oliver (May), Nick Sablan (June), John Mettao (July), Eddie Peter (August), Ben Duenas (September), Manny Alvarez (October), Joe “Kamikaze” Camacho (November), and Jess Wabol (December).

Wabol, who is RGA president, said Joe Wabol and Ed Kapileo are the two other qualifiers of the RGA 2005 Club Championship. Joe Wabol and Kapileo take the place of February and March monthly winners Joe Limes and Joe Demapan, respectively, who failed to play in the required number of monthly tournaments, the RGA president said.

Check-in time for tomorrow’s ace of aces tournament is at 10am with tee time set at 11am.

RGA members who did not qualify for the 2005 RGA Club Championship could still take part in the tournament, but Jess Wabol said they are not eligible to win the yearend trophy.

The banquet for the 2005 RGA Club Championship will take place the evening immediately after the tournament at Hyatt Regency Saipan’s Kili Café. All participants of the 2005 RGA Club Championship are invited and if they want to bring guests, they will have to fork out $25.

For more information about the 2005 RGA Club Championship, contact Jess Wabol at 288-1129, tourney director Tony Satur at 322-1562/1563, or secretary/treasurer Sonny Flores at 234-1748.

A golf novice when he won the 2004 RGA Club Championship, Taitano defeated seasoned veterans to capture the title in December last year at the Laolao Bay Golf Resort Saipan west course.

Taitano, who first took a swing on the sport in 2001, bagged the coveted yearly championship of the golf association after finishing the single-round competition with a net score of one-under 71.

The director for benefits of the Northern Mariana Islands Retirement Fund bested the likes of 2003 Club Championship Oliver, and Suva South Pacific Games veterans Jess Wabol, Camacho, Peter, and Sablan for the title.