Friday, August 03, 2007
Wabol eager to defend title
By Mark Rabago
Assistant Editor
Saipan Tribune
Mr. Unorthodox Jess Wabol is looking forward to defending his title when the 12th Tournament of
Champions tees off this weekend at the Laolao Bay Golf Resort.
In a recent interview with the Saipan Tribune, Wabol said that this year's field may not be as competitive as
years past, but nonetheless acknowledged that defending a championship is never an easy task.
“It's always harder trying to repeat. Once you're on the top, everyone is aiming at you. It's going to be tough
but what can you do, you just have to be up to the challenge,” he said.
Wabol added that while his chances of completing a repeat may have gotten a little better with the absence
of former national players Joe “Kamikaze” Camacho and Oliver Sasaki, he still believes that the veteran par-
busters that did remain on island all stand an equal chance of winning this weekend.
“Joji Taguchi is a veteran in the Championship Flight. He just hasn't had a lot of practice the past few
months because he has to concentrate on his business because of the bad economy right now,” he said.
Wabol also singled out former and reigning HANMI champions Joung Hoon Park and Jeff Taylor and up-
and-coming Adam Hardwicke as some of the darkhorses for the 2007 TOC.
“I don't know if Jeff can play in the TOC since he's part of the committee, but if he does he will be one of the
contenders. Jeff is a very good player. Mr. Park is also pretty good and could be a threat, while Adam, if he
could duplicate his success in last month's RGA July Ace while nursing an ankle injury, could be dangerous
as well. You could not count these guys out,” he said.
Wabol said he will be shooting for his fourth TOC victory this Saturday and Sunday, which is the most in the
history of the event.
He, however, still feels a back injury robbed him of the win in the 2003 edition of the tournament when the
championship went to his good friend Camacho, who is in the mainland reportedly training to be a golf
instructor.
Wabol said he has been training vigorously for his defense of the TOC championship and is thankful that so
far the injury bug has not bitten him.
“I practice every morning-Monday to Friday-at Yuna driving range and work on my short game at Cheap
Charlie's in the afternoon during breaks. [I have] no injuries thankfully. save for a few sore spots here and
there but nothing serious that a massage session can't fix,” he said.
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.
This weekend's 12th Tournament of Champions will feature 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 walks 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 just a day 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).
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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