PETER “Dung” Tenorio reigned supreme in the third tryout for the CNMI National Golf Team hosted by the CNMI Federation of Golf Associations on Saturday at Coral Ocean Golf Resort.
The members of the CNMI’s golf team that will compete in next year’s Pacific Mini Games will be selected through these tryouts.
Although Tenorio did not put on a flashy performance Saturday, he proved that consistency could win a game.
On the front nine, he found his rhythm early, but made a bogey on hole #3 to shoot one-over par for a gross score of 37.
Tenorio started to lose touch during the transition on the back nine, making three bogeys on holes #13, #14 and #17 for a gross score of 40, but thanks to his previous output, he still managed to clinch the number one spot with a total net score of 77.
In second place was another familiar face, Joe Sasamoto Jr., who slightly struggled on the front nine with three bogeys, but he redeemed himself with a birdie on hole #9 to end at two-over par with a gross of 38.
The back nine proved to be the tougher part of the course for Sasamoto who made four bogeys, but he saved himself with another birdie for a gross score of 40 and a total net score of 78.
Harry Nakamura also continues to move up the rankings, placing third this time around. He had a decent output on the front nine but a triple bogey kept him behind as he notched a gross score of 40.
He improved his stroke on the back nine with only two bogeys and a birdie for a gross of 38 to share a net score of 78 with Sasamoto.
But based on the score-card playoff, Nakamura’s triple bogey was the deal-breaker and he had to settle for third place.
In fourth place was the winner of the first tryout, JJ Atalig who remains one of the top contenders. On Saturday, he did not start off on the right foot, scoring a gross of 41 on the front nine but he bounced back on the back nine as he shared the lowest gross of 38 with Nakamura to end with a net score of 79.
In fifth place was Jay Muna who produced a gross score of 40 on the front nine and 44 on the back for a net score of 84.
Peter Tenorio
