When Los Lunas High School golfer A.J. Smith stepped up to the tee on the 141-yard, par 3, 6th hole on the Mesa course at Isleta Eagle Championship Course, he was just trying to put it close for his four-man scramble team. He pulled his wedge from his bag and did put it close; he put it in the bottom of the cup.
The hole was sponsored by Auge’s, and Smith scored a $250 gift certificate from the car dealership, slightly less than the PT Cruiser up for grabs on the third hole on the Arroyo course and the fourth hole on the Mesa course.
“It’s probably kind of disappointing, but he did get $250,” said Fred Moore founder of the Michelle “Mike” Moore Golf Classic.
Isleta Eagle hosted the fifth golf classic on June 15 to support Casa Esperanza, a non-profit organization that provides affordable housing for families of cancer patients. The tournament was established in memory of the late Michelle Moore, who died of cancer in 1997.
The golf tournament has raised over $170,000 dollars in it’s first four years, and added another $23,000 to the total this year. In addition to the tournament, there were also auctions and a raffle to help raise money. The 188 golfers who participated in the tournament this year comprised the second largest turnout in the tournament’s history. Two years ago, when the tournament first moved from Tierra Del Sol to Isleta Eagle, there were 209 golfers saturating the 27-hole Isleta course.
“The tournament was a huge success, and we’re already looking forward to holding it here again next year,” Moore said.
The tournament was divided into four flights this year, including, for the first time, a ladies flight. Smith’s ace helped his team to first place in the second flight. Alongside Smith were a trio of youngsters, including this year’s 5A state champion, Danny Bowen, from Eldorado High School. Also on the team were 13-year-old Alex Estrada and 2001 Los Lunas graduate Luis Savedra. The four shot a net total of 53, good enough to beat both of the other two winning teams.
Intel’s Brian Doering, Alan Chapman, Son Ngo and Ward Hinson shot a 55 to win the first flight. And Charles Eberley, Brent Chapman, Joe Kinney and Jerry Rice (not the future Hall-of-Fame receiver) won the third flight with a final score of 54. Rita Scarletti, Glen Kyle, Judy Skaar and Kathy Ward finished their loop with a 56 to win the ladies’ flight.
“There were a lot of great golfers here this year, and the scores keep getting lower every year,” said Moore. “With us selling mulligans and stuff like that, the scores get down pretty low.”
Though their teams didn’t end up in the money, a couple of other local golfers went home with prizes. Bob Malone of Rio Communities scored the closest-to-the-pin on the sixth on the Lakes course, sticking his shot two-feet, one-inch from the cup. Linda Ericson got closest to the pin on the seventh on the Arroyo course.
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April 18, 2024
