Ahn Jin leads HANMI Golf winners

Former junior golfer Ahn Jin announced his entry to the Championship Flight with a bang, beating 10 other participants in the centerpiece division of the 8th Annual HANMI Charity Golf Classic Tournament last Saturday at the Coral Ocean Point course.

Jin fired a 1-over par 73 on the Agingan Point course to win his debut in the Championship Flight and stun former HANMI Golf winners and veterans Jeff Taylor and Jess Wabol.

Taylor, who won in the 2007 edition of the fundraiser, settled for second place with his 4-over par 76, while 2008 titlist Wabol finished only fourth with a 7-over par 79. Wabol actually tied with Adam Hardwicke, but the latter won in the scorecard playoff.

Taylor and Wabol occupied the No. 1 and 2 spots after the first nine holes with the former going 1-over par 37 and the latter hitting 2-over par 38.

The 19-year-old Jin had a slow start with his 4-over par 40 and tied with three others for third after the first nine holes before redeeming himself in the last nine holes.

Jin birdied holes No. 11, 15, and 18 and saved par on six other holes for an impressive 3-under par 33.

Jin, in an interview with Saipan Tribune during the awards ceremony Saturday night at Hyatt Regency Saipan, said the victory in HANMI will boost his confidence when he competes in the Championship Flight in the 2009 Tournament of Champions.

Jin received a trophy and $500 for topping the Championship Flight. HANMI awarded cash prizes and trophies to the top three finishers in each flight.

Other top winners in their respective flights were Edward Manibusan (Senior Flight), Sherlyn Jones (Ladies), Masaaki Nakamura (A Flight), Ysukasa Kuribayashi (B Flight), and Jess Atalig (C Flight).

Manibusan won in the scorecard playoff against Jess Taitano. Both golfers shot a 4-over par 76. Nick Sablan placed third with his net 80.

Nakamura had a one-stroke win over Jesse Seman in the A Flight with the former nailing a net 75 against the latter’s net 76. Third placer Freddie Cataluna was two strokes off the lead with his net 77.

Kuribayashi prevailed in the B Flight by three strokes with his net 76 besting junior golfer Leina Kim’s 79. Senate President Pete Reyes finished third with his net 82.

Atalig carded a net 85 for a two-stroke win over Tony Sablan, who scored a net 87. David Apatang tallied a net 88 to place third.

In the Ladies Flight, which had a double-peoria format, Jones recorded a net 73.20 to beat Aya Matsumoto (net 73.40), and Yuko Togawa (73.8).

Around 130 players participated in the annual tournament, which Hotel Association of Northern Mariana Islands organized to raise funds for its community projects.