Player spots for 2007 TOC filling up quickly
By Mark Rabago
Assistant Editor
Saipan Tribune
Local and off-island par-busters as well as weekend warriors are priming up for this weekend's two-day
12th Tournament of Champions.
According to organizers, with the tournament's player entry deadline quickly approaching player spots are
filling up quickly.
Over $5 million-including cars, cash, airline tickets and hotel stays-will be at stake in the 12th Tournament
of Champions set for Aug. 4 and 5 at the Laolao Bay Golf Resort.
“TOC-in its 12th year-has become the premier golf tournament in the region. With 288 players scheduled to
play this two-day tournament, TOC looks forward to raising more money for the Saipan Beautification Fund.
Over the past 11 years, TOC has raised in excess of $450,000 for the fund,” the press release from the
organizers read.
Even TOC chairman Ben Babauta has chimed in to invite the islands' golf-playing public.
“This will be another exciting year for TOC. Not only are there amazing prizes up for grabs for the players,
this is also a worthwhile cause to continue to beautify the island of Saipan” he said.
The year's biggest golf competition in the CNMI will have three divisions-Men's, Ladies Low Gross, and
Ladies Low Net.
First place in the Men's Open will take home a trophy and $600 in cash, second place gets a trophy and
$500, third place wins a trophy and $400, while fourth and fifth places walk away with a DVD player and a
$100 gift certificate.
The Top 3 in the Ladies Low Gross will each win trophies and cash prizes amounting to $600, $500, and
$400. Ladies Low Net winners, for their part, will earn first, second, and third place trophies.
In addition to the cash prizes and trophies awarded to the top golfers of the three divisions, a 2007 Honda
Civic from Joeten Motors, a 2007 Mitsubishi Lancer from Triple J Motors, and two $50,000 cash prizes will
be among the come-ons in the tournament's hole-in-one challenges.
Showtime for the two-day 12th Tournament of Champions is set at 6am with shotgun start scheduled an
hour later at 7pm.
The multi-lingual the 12th Tournament of Champions registration forms are available online at www.
tocsaipan.org or by stopping by the executive offices of DFS Galleria or at Laolao Bay Golf Resort.
The TOC will only be able to allow a maximum of 288 players, and with a little over a couple of days to go
before the opening drives, organizers are encouraging local and off-island golfers to register as soon as
possible.
Since its inception, TOC has given close to half a million dollars to the Saipan Beautification Fund which
has gone directly to the improvements of the tree-lined traffic medians that stretch from Garapan to the
Saipan Nikko Hotel, as well as the recent revitalization of the Garapan special district. In addition to the pair
of eye-pleasing projects, the TOC also contributed funds for the Paseo de Marianas, the lighting of the
Saipan Beach Pathway, and a number of other beautification projects.
Golfers can make payments with cash, check, or credit cards and credit card payments must be made in
person at the DFS Galleria administration offices on the second floor of the DFS Galleria. All checks should
be made payable to the Saipan Beautification Fund.
Sponsors for the 12th Tournament of Champions are divided into four categories-Platinum (DFS Saipan,
Johnny Walker, Laolao Bay Golf Resort, and Marianas Visitors Authority), Gold (Tan Holdings, Aon
Insurance, Triple J Motors, Pepsi, Miller Lite, Joeten Motors, and Couture Marketing), Silver (Hyatt Regency
Saipan, Capricciosa, Tony Roma's, Louis Vuitton, Pacific Telecoms, Inc., Bank of Hawaii, and Western
Union), and Bronze (Triple B Freight Forwarders, Aqua Resort Club, Bank of Saipan, Dial Rent-to-Own,
Saipan Shipping, Cargo Express, Hard Rock Café, Beach Gal, JC Marketing, Marianas Noni, and Sunlark).
After recording back-to-back tournament low scores, “Mr. Unorthodox” Jess Wabol bested 208 others
golfers en route to winning the 11th Annual Tournament of Champions last year with a remarkable two-day
total of 147 at the Laolao Bay Golf Resort.
For more information about the 2007 TOC, contact Andy Tidwell of Couture Marketing by calling 234-1305.
Entry forms may be picked up at the second floor executive offices at DFS Galleria, at LaoLao Bay Golf
Resort, or online at www.tocsaipan.com.
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