Macaranas makes NMI proud at world jr. golf tilt

With his whole family cheering him on, R.J. Macaranas made some of his best shots and made the CNMI proud by finishing fourth in his division in the recently concluded 2009 Future Champions Golf World Championship.

Macaranas was invited to compete in the 9-10 year-old division against 27 other junior golfers.

All played in eight different venues in California including San Diego, Marcos, Encinitas, Carlsbad, Murrieta, Temecula, Rancho Santa Fe, La Jolla, and La Mesa from Feb. 14 to 16.

The nine-year-old CNMI pride was among four players who carded a two-day total 168 after 36 holes at the tough Doubletree Golf Resort in San Diego. The other three were Alan Tom, Brandon Ahn, and Kaito Onishi.

Sihao Yan won the division by submitting a 159, while Sidney Cozier scored 163 in San Marcos for second place. Macaranas’ flight mate Alex Hietala came third with 166.

Some 16 countries were represented in the annual event held on President’s Day weekend, including the CNMI, Mexico, Finland, Australia, Japan, South Korea, United Kingdom, China, the Philippines, and host United States.

Macaranas, who turns 10 this month, plans to return to the World Championships next year and aims for a better finish.

His father, Richard, said the Doubletree course is a tough one to tackle. It is 5,286 yards and is a par 72 course with a rating of 71.9, including 125 slopes.

“Weather conditions were cold 50s and 60s, windy, wet rain, and cloudy overcast,” he said.

In the first round, the younger Macaranas finished with a 47 for the first nine holes then improved with a 43 at the turn for a first day total 18-over par 90. He managed a birdie and three pars.

His second round performance did the trick after he checking in with a 40 in the front and 38 in the back for a second day total of six-over par 78. He birdied three holes and made seven pars.

R.J. began his great play with a two-under in a four-hole stretch and finished even par in the last three holes.

His father, who personally served as his caddy, said R.J. adjusted well by playing longer clubs.

The father-and-son tandem noticed that the yardages were longer than what R.J. normally hits and even with the tough weather conditions and winds, he made a huge jump by shooting the lowest score coming in and was the clubhouse leader.

He then placed fourth in the final round leaderboard.

“R.J. said he’d bring his ‘A’ game, when he saw his driver working effectively. He said jokingly, I trained my ball well to stay out of the bunkers and out of the hazards and into the holes. He was constantly in great position strategically while the rest of his foursome were struggling to catch up with his drives. He had one to three strokes ahead on almost every hole,” the elder Macaranas noted.

He said his son was so excited that he would run to the next shot, while his family was watching from the gallery. Sharing with the excitement from the sidelines were mom Becky Macaranas, brother Christian Macaranas, grandparents Cristina Hemphill and Randy Hemphill, aunt Sheila Hemphill, and 15 or so spectators.

“On tough holes, R.J. used mantras provided by PGA player and guest speaker at the welcoming party to help him mentally focus. Tiger Woods’ 10-yard rule was a favorite. After a bad shot, we can complain and show as much frustration as we can, but after 10 yards from that spot the stroke is never thought of again,” he said.

He added that it is also worth mentioning that R.J. played like a champion, because he was “thinking like a champion, and acting like a champion.”

Richard wants to network with CNMI golfers who want to qualify for the Callaway Junior World Championship.

“We must gather more representatives for all divisions, from six and under to Championship (17 and under). I need to network with these junior golfers so we can have our own exemptions to the World Championships. Possibly a qualifier on the first week in June in Southern California,” he said.

The elder Macaranas can be reached at latu@justice.com.