THE CNMI Federation of Golf Associations on Saturday announced the composition of the local team that will compete in the 2022 Pacific Mini Games on Saipan.
The men’s team members are JJ Atalig, Peter “Dung” Tenorio, Harry Nakamura, Joe “Kamikaze” Camacho and Franco Santos.
The women’s team members are Nirimai Koebel, Rose Rohringer, and Janet Torres.
The junior men’s team members are Li Zhi Yun, Joshua Atalig and Antonio Norita while Zhimin Jin and Sorian Oh are the junior women’s team members.
JJ Atalig, who shot a gross of 73 in the fifth and final tryout on Saturday at Coral Ocean Golf Resort, said this will be the second time that he will represent the CNMI in a competition. The first was in 2019, he added.
“I feel good,” he said. “I worked hard to be part of the team. I look forward to trying to place a medal in the Pacific Mini Games.”
Peter Tenorio, who came in second on Saturday with a gross of 74, said: “It’s a big honor because it’s not easy to make the team. The conditions were rough today. It rained and the wind was blowing and we just tried…the best we could. Walking was a big difference. It made a big impact on the game today. You not just have to walk but you must keep focus and play against the elements and a very tough group of guys.”
Very proud to represent NMI
In the women’s division, Niramai Koebel finished first on Saturday with a gross of 95 while Rose Rohriner and Janet Torres followed behind, tied in second place with a gross of 103.
In an interview, Koebel said: “I’m very proud to represent the NMI. It was tough walking and the front nine was tough with the back nine heating up later in the day.”
In the junior’s men division, Li Zhi Yun scored a gross of 86 followed by Joshua Atalig (89), Antonio Norita (100), and Joey Dela Cruz Jr. (116)
The junior women’s division tryout on Saturday was led by Zhimin Jin with a gross of 91 followed by Sorian Oh with a gross of 126.
“It’s my first time to join a national team and I feel very honored and happy,” Jin said. “Walking was not that tough but I just have to adapt to the environment.”
In the fifth and final tryout on Saturday, the players had to go through the actual Mini Games experience by walking on the full 18-hole course.
2022 Pacific Mini Games Chief Executive Officer Ben Babauta said as of Saturday, a total of 108 golfers from 14 countries and jurisdictions had confirmed their participation in next year’s Pacific Mini Games. The venue is Coral Ocean Golf Resort.
Ed Manibusan, the president of the CNMI Federation of Golf Associations, told the CNMI team members: “The team that will represent the CNMI will be a great team and we are so proud of you all for doing such a great job. In the next few months this team will be getting together to practice and I’m sure they are going to bring the gold.”
The NMI National Golf Team members pose after Saturday’s final tryouts at the Coral Ocean Golf Resort.
