Hosted by Arion Wine Company, and California’s Wente Vineyards.
The island’s most popular golf tournament, unfolded on the award-winning Tierra Del Sol Golf Course, which recently reopened after an extensive makeover and total reconstruction. The Saturday event concluded with Bryan Nemecek and Claudio Mata in the lead, Ashiko Martinus and Kenny Hover in second place, Maurice Campagnard and Zerzinho Croes, in third.
The annual tournament, organized here for the seventeenth time, is a fund raiser supporting community causes. It is annually offered by Arion Wine Company in conjunction with California’s Wente Vineyards, and a number of generous local sponsors.
The tournament signed up 84 players, for a fun two-person scramble format. The funds collected were earmarked for Plan di Mayor, a foundation prioritizing child well-being, helping parents navigate the intricacies of separation or divorce. The foundation provides compassionate, child-focused guidance to co-parenting, in compliance with the law.
The shotgun start at 12noon was personally overseen by golf pro James Kiley, supported by Govert van der Hout of Arion Wine Company and Eric Wente, Chairman of the Board at Wente Vineyard, who thanked each player for their participation, and posed for personal pictures at the start.
Having enjoyed an excellent afternoon on the golf course, players congregated around the pool at the clubhouse at sunset, for some delicious soups and sandwiches provided by the Birdie restaurant at Tierra del Sol, paired with bottomless Wente Vineyard wines, chased by an award ceremony, prize presentation, and picture opportunities, which wrapped up the action-packed day.
All prizes were sponsored by Wente Vineyards and included some of the winery’s finest wines, in oversize bottles, as well as a trip to the winery in California for the first-place winners to play on the Greg Norman designed golf Course. Second place winners were awarded dinner for two at Papiamento Restaurant, paired with a bottle of Wente wine, each. Third place winners received a gift box set, each, featuring three Wente wines, Riva Ranch Chardonnay, Southern Hills Cabernet Sauvignon, and Angels Ink Pinot Noir.
The award ceremony conducted by golf pro James Kiley, with wine maker Eric Wente and Arion Wine Company’s Govert van der Hout, presenting the prizes, also acknowledged the closest to the pin shots of Omar Paneflek, on hole #3, Robert Aldrich, on #7, Jochem Ros, on #13, Alton Nicolaas, on #15, and George Ruiz, on #17. Longest drive winner on #1 was Maurice Campagnard, and Angeline Flemming, on #16. An extra prize was awarded to a player who won the wine quiz, highlighting his knowledge of the Wente brand; Ashiko Martinus was rewarded with a 3-liter bottle of Livermore Valley Wetmore Vinyard Sauvignon Blanc, for his accomplishment.
All players expressed their complete satisfaction with the detailed organization of the tournament, and its special touches; compliments were lavished on Papiamento Restaurant for the creative and inspired sandwiches and goodies-to-go during the day.
“Here’s for another year,” said Eric Wente at the end of the award ceremony, promising to be back in 2026 for the 18th edition of the tournament, he also acknowledged the meticulous planning required, delivered flawlessly by the Arion Wine Company team.
Pictured here Eric Wente, Govert van der Hout, James Kiley at the award ceremony with the happy winners.
The following local companies supported the annual Arion Wine Company, Wente Vineyards, Golf Tournament: Aruba Bank, Builders’ Windows and Doors, Plus Accountants, ASD, Aruba Aloe, Aruba Airport, Sotheby’s Real Estate, Robertson Fire, Setar, Safecom, Complete Logistics, H&H Fine Wine and Spirits, Happy Insurance, Tropical Bottling Company, Papiamento Restaurant, Bright Bakery, ACC (Aruba climate control), ProNova, and IberoStar Hotels and Resorts.
The reconstructed golf course received rave reviews from players appreciating its breathtaking views and the dessert and ocean landscape. The reconstructed, spectacular, world class golf course, is a great accomplishment for Aruba and the Iberostar resort company, relying on desalinated water to maintain the greens, and a crew of dedicated maintenance men to manicure its 110 acres of grass, par 71, 6,811 yards of golf.
