The coordinating committee originally scheduled the start of the qualifying rounds for Feb. 28 but it was cancelled due to the tsunami warning.
Jeff Taylor, one of the coordinators said there is considerable number of golfers who are signing up for the qualifying series that will run in five months.
The next qualifying rounds will be on April 17, then, on May 24, June 19 and the final round will be on July 19. The venues for these rounds will be announced later.
The Pacific Games 2011 will be held in Nomea, New Caledonia in August 2011, and the CNMI is among the Pacific territories that will send representatives in one of the biggest sports event in the region.
Since golf is among the sports in the quadrennial event, CNMI’s golf enthusiasts are given the opportunity to represent the commonwealth.
These series of qualifying rounds will be held as an effort to field the CNMI’s best golf team.
The coordinating committee said that due to the datelines that have to be met by teams planning to participate and the need to field CNMI’s best, golf organizers have come together to host the qualifying rounds.
Four low-gross scores from any of the rounds will be used for qualification. The CNMI golf team will have five members with the fifth player serving as player/coach. At least three alternatives will be selected to replace a member or members of the team should the need before the games arises.
Alternatives will be required to attend all of the team practice rounds.
Green fees for any of the qualifying round will be paid by each player who will also be asked to donate $10 per round for the expenses in Pacific Games trip.
To qualify for CNMI team, the Pacific Games charter requires U.S. citizenship and five years residency in the CNMI.
The CNMI golf team is also looking for corporate or individual sponsors. For those who wish to become one please contact Jeff Taylor at 483-2513; Jordan Kosam at 483-4506; Jess Wabol at 288-1129 and Ret. Judge Edward Manibusan at 235-6520.
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