MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- U.S. service members, stationed around the world, gathered at Camp Pendleton to compete for the title of the 2009 Armed Services Golf Tournament champion, Nov. 7 to 10.  

The base’s Marine Memorial Golf Course served as the setting for the competition. The tournament consisted of more than 30 players, both enlisted and officers, from the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps.

“It was a great feeling to have (the members of) different services come out to compete,” said Christopher Crawford, assistant athletic director, Camp Pendleton. “This tournament was a huge success.”

Last year’s tournament, held at Ft. Gordon, Ga., ended with Air Force taking home the trophy and the Marine Corps finishing second.

The Air Force men’s team has won the golf championship 10 of the last 12 years. They continued their winning streak this year, as both the men and women teams beat the Marines by a score of 1,492 to 1,565 for the men and 648 to 793 for the women.

“All the teams playing this year had a great amount of talent and determination,” said Crawford. “It didn’t come to any surprise to me that the (men’s) championship came down to the wire.”

The individual men’s competition was tense. John Little and Tyler Goulding, both with Air Force, tied at the end of the four rounds, forcing them to hack it out in a sudden-death match. Little emerged the victor.

In the women’s competition, Linda Jeffery of the Air Force placed first with a score of 319.

The amount of camaraderie displayed throughout the tournament was great, said Sgt. Maj. Jeffery Dixon, sergeant major, Marine Corps Installations West, during his speech at the awards ceremony.

“This is just a little reminder to all the services that we are all fighting the same fight,” he added.

The top six men and two women from the tournament will move on to represent the U.S. in the 6th Counseil International Du Sport Militaire golf tournament, taking place in Windhoek, Namibia, Nov. 14 to 21.