Men's champion Tommy Wingert of Atsugi had to outlast three rivals who kept it close all the way to the last hole. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
TOKYO – If there is such a thing as playing leapfrog on the golf course, Sunday’s round at Tama Hills served as a prime example.
Tommy Wingert of Naval Air Facility Atsugi outlasted former three-time champion Chong Delisi, last year’s champion Patrick Bowman and Tyler Wickerham to win the U.S. Forces Japan interservice championship by one point.
How close was the outcome? A total of two points separated the top four finishers, in an event played by modified Stableford scoring rules.
“I made some good putts” in Sunday’s final round, said Wingert, 35, of Ogden, Utah, who served five years in the Air Force as a linguist before coming to Japan.
Wingert scored 35 points in Sunday’s second round, after opening with a 29 on Saturday at Camp Zama’s golf course under sunny skies. Sunday’s round was played in day-long on-and-off drizzle and rain.
“Yesterday was rough. I knew I had it in me to come back,” said Wingert, who chipped to the green from a bunker, then one-putted for par on the 18th hole to close out Sunday’s round.
“I had some good par saves. A good group of guys to play with,” said Wingert, who played in college at Weber State in his hometown, graduating in 2012.
“It came down to the last hole,” said Bowman, who played neck and neck with Wingert on the back nine. “Tommy made some really good shots on the last few holes.”
Delisi, who won the tournament the first three times it was played, led with a 35 after Saturday’s first round but faded to a 29 on Sunday. Wicherham stayed close but didn’t have enough to overcome the three leaders.
“I could not putt,” Delisi said. “I misread a lot of putts on the back nine. My putts kept coming up short.”
Last year’s men’s champion Patrick Bowman of Tama came up one point short this year. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Chong Delisi came up short in his bid to reclaim the title he won three straight years until 2025. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Daniela Fuentes of Atsugi won the women's title by six points. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Atsugi Whispering Pines course manager Justin Ford blasts out of a Tama bunker. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Richard McElhaney, tournament host officer and Yokota's 374th Airlift Wing commanding officer, tees off on the ninth hole at Tama. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
The men’s senior division finished just as tight, with Tama’s Tim Fearney and Dale Jorgenson of Zama finishing knotted at 65 each.
On the women’s side, where a close finish was hardly a bother, Daniela Fuentes of Atsugi outshot Tama’s Taan Limani 57-51 for the title. Fuentes led after Saturday by five points, built the lead to 11 points and held on from there.
“Getting to the green in regulation. Drives and approach shots,” said Fuentes, adding that Sunday’s soggy weather didn’t bother her.
And the team championship stayed at its longstanding home of Tama Hills, for the fifth time since the event’s inception in 2022. The field featured 138 players, the most in the tournament’s history.
Saturday and Sunday at Zama Golf Course, Camp Zama; and Tama Hills Golf Course, Tama Hills Recreation Center, Tokyo
Modified Stableford scoring system
(Zama, 6,464 yards, par 72; Tama Hills, 6,515 yards, par 71)
Men’s Open Division
Tommy Wingert, Atsugi, 29-35—64
Patrick Bowman, Tama, 29-34—63
Chong Delisi, Tama, 35-28—63
Tyler Wickerham, Tama, 32-30—62
Michael Yeo, Tama, 23-36—59
Lance Raska, Tama, 32-27—59
Evan Fonk, Atsugi, 27-30—57
Jason Ortega, Taiyo (Okinawa), 32-25—57
Derek Mukai, Zama, 30-27—57
Kris Showalter, Zama, 30-27—57
Justin Ford, Atsugi, 28-28—56
Jason Carey, Iwakuni, 25-31—56
Momoka Koyama, Gosser (Misawa), 27-28—55
Andrew Good, Atsugi, 23-31—54
Christopher Chweya-de la Torre, Tama, 26-28—54
Carlson Casso, Taiyo, 28-26—54
Leo Andrei Fajutagana, Banyan Tree (Okinawa), 25-38—53
Frank Butler, Atsugi, 22-30—52
Andrew Baldwin, Taiyo, 25-27—52
James Allgeier, Banyan Tree, 23-28—51
Kevin Limani, Tama, 24-27—51
Matt Dunn, Taiyo, 27-23—50
Robert Bingaman, Atsugi, 28-22—50
Scott Wood, Banyan Tree, 20-29—49
Bud Jones, Iwakuni, 21-28—49
Travis McDaniel, Banyan Tree, 23-26—49
Brian Downer, Tama, 24-25—49
Steve Nakashima, Taiyo, 21-28—49
Sterling Hill, Iwakuni, 25-24—49
Craig Mills, Banyan Tree, 22-26—48
Ray Sato, Zama, 27-21—48
Justin Johnson, Atsugi, 21-26—47
Ethan Browning, Tama, 21-26—47
Brian Story, Zama, 22-24—46
Trace Theoflies, Gosser, 28-18—46
Joe Howell, Banyan Tree, 22-23—45
Timothy Lafser, Taiyo, 15-30—45
Davis Bianchini, Zama, 18-27—45
Michael Bae, Tama, 20-25—45
Tyler Johnson, Banyan Tree, 21-24—45
Joseph Advey, Tama, 23-22—45
Richard Cofield, Gosser, 25-20—45
Kaulana Chang, Atsugi, 21-23—44
Christopher Price, Gosser, 18-26—44
Cole Grim, Gosser, 20-24—44
Ross McCarthy, Banyan Tree, 19-25—44
Huong Huynh, Cama, 23-21—44
Jason Leigh, Taiyo, 27-17—44
Sam Hodges, Atsugi, 22-20-42
Charles Davis, Gosser, 18-23—41
Braydon Holmes, Atsugi, 20-21—41
Adrian Williams, Gosser, 20-21—41
David Leary, Taiyo, 15-25—40
Matthew Lawrence, Tama, 22-18—40
David Shea, Tama, 20-20—40
Eggie Borrero, Banyan Tree, 18-21—39
Jesse Adams, Zama, 20-19—39
Stan Murrell, Gosser, 21-28—39
Steven Savage, Gosser, 19-19—38
Gary Connors, Taiyo, 20-18—38
Michael Artis, Banyan Tree, 23-15—38
Jesse Guzman, Taiyo, 17-20—37
Jared Smer, Iwakuni, 24-13—37
Stephen Smith, Tama, 19-17—36
Jason Cates, Zama, 19-17—36
Michael Clapper, Atsugi, 16-19—35
Burt Okamoto, Tama, 18-17—35
William Hepler, Atsugi, 19-16—35
Nick Garcia, Atsugi, 14-20—34
Robert Thomas, Banyan Tree, 17-17—34
David Smith, Zama, 20-14—34
David McAlroy, Tama, 14-19—33
Andrew Hoburg, Taiyo, 19-14—33
William Hafemeister, Taiyo, 17-16—33
Chandler Masing, Taiyo, 16-17—33
Hiroki Mori, Atsugi, 12-20—32
Atsushi Oba, Zama, 16-16—32
James Friedhoff, Banyan Tree, 16-15—31
Andrew Nims, Taiyo, 10-20—30
Colin Neisius, Gosser, 14-15—29
Donald Billingsley, Banyan Tree, 14-15—29
Zachare Strelke, Taiyo, 13-15—28
Charles Nell, Banyan Tree, 13-15—28
Andrew Johnson, Tama, 14-13—27
Kar Lee, Zama, 14-13—27
Anthony Davila, Iwakuni, 15-12—27
Justin Mateo, Iwakuni, 12-14—26
Zachary McElroy, Iwakuni, 14-12—26
Jason Senders, Zama, 14-12—26
Kevin Craig, Gosser, 8-17—25
Julius Marzan, Iwakuni, 15-9—24
Alex Luke, Taiyo, 14-10—24
Hidetsugu Motoyama, Zama, 13-10—23
Dennis Gifford, Gosser, 7-15—22
Robert Freed, Taiyo, 11-7—18
Luis Vargas, Taiyo, 8-8—16
Ryan Williams, Iwakuni, 4-9—13
Richard McElhaney, Tama, 8-2—10
Roger Robertson, Zama, 7-2—9
John Kirkland, Gosser, 5-4—9
Fredrick Smith, Banyan Tree, 13-WD
Men’s Senior Division
Tim Fearney, Tama, 34-31—65
Dale Jorgenson, Zama, 33-32—65
Miles Hockman, Atsugi, 32-26—58
Danny Davis, Zama, 28-28—56
Scott Warner, Zama, 26-28—54
Eugene Shinno, Banyan Tree, 24-28—52
Kenji Onuki, Atsugi, 28-24—52
Greg Holladay, Tama, 22-29—51
Bino Barrientos, Atsugi, 24-26—50
Matthew Frazier, Taiyo, 21-23—44
Preston Lofton, Tama, 22-22—44
Maurice Moore, Taiyo, 21-20—41
Harold Unger, Taiyo, 23-17—40
Troy Oliver, Tama, 21-19—40
Allen Agra, Atsugi, 21-18—39
Michael Snyder, Iwakuni, 19-17—36
Leo Martinez Fajutagana, Banyan Tree, 16-20—36
John Duffy, Taiyo, 18-18—36
Jason Sheedy, Iwakuni, 18-14—32
Craig Kunkel, Gosser, 10-16—26
Mick McHale, Taiyo, 12-11—23
Kevin Haws, Taiyo, 11-8—19
James Smith, Atsugi, 8-10—18
Milt Colon, Tama, 7-11—18
Michael Dawson, Atsugi, 6-7—13
Women’s Division
Daniela Fuentes, Atsugi, 29-28—57
Taan Limani, Tama, 24-27—51
Theresa Realica, Atsugi, 18-26—44
Eriko Nichols, Zama, 17-21—38
Yoko Lofton, Tama, 13-21—34
Akiyo Watanabe, Zama, 17-12—29
Mona Okubo, Zama, 9-16—25
Yuka Garrito-Mori, Atsugi, 6-6—12
Aaron Uhling, Gosser, 0-10—10
Kawinthra Numasaki, Gosser, 3-7—10
Tomoko Brown, Taiyo, 6-4—10
