THE NMI’S Zhi Min Jin now leads the pack in the 2022 Pacific Mini Games’ golf event as it heads to the final round Friday, June 24, at Coral Ocean Resort.
New Caledonia’s Koch Hugo putts for a birdie during the men’s golf event on Thursday.
Zhi shot 6-over par, 78, in the first and second rounds on Tuesday and Wednesday, good enough for fourth place.
But on Thursday, and despite the strong winds, Zhi birdied on Hole 10 and did quite well in the next holes with five par shots. On the front nine, she shot a birdie on Hole 2 and after two consecutive par shots and a bogey, she birdied on Hole 6 to finish with 77.
Zhi overtook Tahiti’s Flavia Reid-Amaru who scored 87 on Thursday. In the first and second rounds, it was Reid-Amaru who led by shooting 78 and 75.
The weather on Thursday was warmer than the previous days which Zhi said affected everyone.
:Oh my goodness, the weather was pretty okay but the wind was really strong,” she said. “I think that affected my game a lot. And the others as well.”
Reid-Amaru said “it was very hot, and the wind was very strong.”
Men’s division
In the men’s division New Caledonia’s Koch Hugo shot two over par to edge his compatriot Castagne Guillaume who scored 78 on Thursday.
Hugo birdied on Holes 11 and 18, and now ranks No. 1 in the men’s division.
In third and fourth places are Guam’s Redge Camacho who shot 76, and Ivan Sablan who shot 77.
On Wednesday, Guillaume seized the lead after shooting 1-over par, 73.
The NMI’s Zhin Yu Li shot 77 on Tuesday and 73 on Wednesday and was ranked no. 7. But after scoring 83 on Thursday, Li dropped to No. 11.
The final round starts at 7 a.m. Friday, June 24.
The NMI’s Zhi Min Jin, left, and Tahiti’s Flavia Reid-Amaru pose for photo after completing the 2022 Pacific Mini Games golf round on Thursday at Coral Ocean Resort.
