AS part of its preparation for the 2022 Pacific Mini Games that Saipan will host, the CNMI Federation of Golf Associations has chosen Coral Ocean Golf Resort as the venue.
During a meeting at Fiesta Resort & Spa on Thursday, the federation also created a special committee that will be focused on organizing the golf tournaments for the mini games.
The special committee members are JJ Atalig, Edward Manibusan and Geri Dela Cruz.
Manibusan thanked E-Land/Micronesia Resort Inc. chief executive officer Brian Shin and general manager Calvin Eunpyung Park for supporting the mini games.
Coral Ocean Golf Resort is operated by E-Land/Micronesia Resort Inc.
Coral Ocean Resort, which was severely damaged by Super Typhoon Yutu in Oct. 2018, reopened in January of this year and plans to further improve its facilities, including the greens, bunkers and tee boxes.
Manibusan said the federation will select the members of the CNMI’s golf teams for the mini games.
He said the men’s and women’s teams must each have two junior golfers and two adult athletes.
Team members must be U.S. citizens and members of a local golf organization.
If a youth golfer is turning 19 years old next year, he or she will still be allowed to play as the event was supposed to be held in 2020.
The golf tournaments of the mini games will be walking events — each player will have to walk the entire course on foot, so caddies will be needed.
“We’re excited,” Pacific Mini Games CEO Ben Babauta Jr. said. “Golf was the last sport that needed a confirmed venue.”
He added, “Right now, we have close to about 100 [participating] golf players with five countries/jurisdictions yet to turn in their numbers. Some of these athletes are elite golf players so they will compete at Coral Ocean which has the longest golf course in the Marianas.”
Over 13,000 athletes and 100 officials and dignitaries are expected to be on Saipan for the 2022 Pacific Mini Games.
“We are building the future of local sports and eventually we’re aspiring for Olympic status,” Babauta said. “And we are really happy that golf has a venue.”
E-Land/Micronesia Resort Inc. chief executive officer Brian Shin, for his part, said: “On behalf of the company, I think being part of this committee is a sign of recovery from all the bad things that have been happening. We want to be part of this game — we are one of the major players in the tourism industry and we are very grateful for the opportunity to be working with all of you. We are hoping for gold medals for the CNMI golfers. I hope that the ‘home-court’ advantage will help them.”
Members of the CNMI Federation of Golf Associations pose for a photo with Pacific Mini Games CEO Ben Babauta Jr., E-Land/Micronesia Resort Inc. chief executive officer Brian Shin and general manager Calvin Park during a meeting Thursday at Fiesta Resort & Spa.
Coral Ocean Golf Resort will be the venue of the golf tournaments of next year’s Pacific Mini Games.
