Two in a row for Wabol at TOC
By Jon Perez
Reporter
Saipan Tribune
Jess “Mr. Unorthodox” Wabol winning his second straight Tournament of Champions title in last Sunday's
12th TOC at the Laolao Bay golf Resort topped the headlines for the week in sports in the CNMI.
Wabol bested 12 other golfers and tamed the east and west course at Laolao by shooting a two-day total of
150 for a four-shot lead over closest pursuer and opening day leader Edward R. Flores 154 (75-79).
Wabol shot a 76 in the first day of competitions but bounced back with a 74 in the final day to snatch the
TOC Championship Flight title from Flores' hands.
Wabol also won the TOC Championship Flight in 1998, 2000, and 2006. Ladies Flight veteran Noriko
Togawa had the most number of wins with six including a string of five straight victories from 2001 to 2005.
Also completing her second consecutive title is rising teen golfer Leina Kim in the Ladies Flight. She posted
a 15-stroke lead over Togawa, who won the inaugural event in 1996.
Other division winners were Gi Yeong Kim (A); Edward H. Cho (B); Gerald Guerrero (C); Ed Manibusan
(Seniors); Lito Mendoza (Super Seniors); and Rose Tarpley (Ladies Low Net).
Japanese golfer Koji Hashimoto, who made the trip to Saipan from Osaka to join the TOC, also made a
hole-in-one. The Saipan tourist aced the 17th hole of Laolao's west course to win a 2008 Mitsubishi Lancer.
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