By James Sablan
james@mvariety.com
Variety News Staff
THE Refaluwasch Golf Association NMI Inc. concluded its 2025 season with its annual Ace of Aces tournament over the weekend, where Franco Santos rose above a field of elite monthly winners, shooting a net total of 146 to claim the prestigious title at LaoLao Bay Golf & Resort.
Santos, who punched his ticket to the championship by winning the June Ace of the Month title, entered the two-day showdown with momentum.
On Saturday, Santos carded a net score of 71 before encountering some struggles on Sunday, finishing with a net 75 for a commanding two-day total of 146.
His performance was enough to hold off late-season surges from fellow competitors and secure the top spot on the leaderboard, earning the coveted Ace of Aces title.
The rest of the leaderboard featured a mix of veteran precision and rising talent. Jesse Stole, the October Ace, finished as a top contender with a net total of 149, highlighted by a tournament-low net score of 70. September Ace Louie Tilipao rounded out the top three with a consistent 152.
December Ace Zhiyun Li finished with a net total of 153, followed by February Ace Harry Nakamura (157), August Ace Kaegel Taitano (161), January Ace Ben Pelisamen (166), and November Ace Rudy Babauta (169). The remaining monthly aces were Joseph Sasamoto (March), Patrick Fitial (April), Pali Balajadia (May), and Carl Hocog (July).
Aside from Santos, a handful of members also shared the spotlight for their highlights in the optional plays throughout the season.
Manny Mangarero, Joe “Kamikaze” Camacho, and Joseph Sasamoto were rewarded for the most rounds played, at 21; Pali James Balajadia recorded the lowest net score of 63, while Zhiyun Li posted the lowest gross score of 68; and Ben Pelisamen was recognized as the most improved member, with a seven-stroke improvement.
In addition, Jess Stole made a hole-in-one on hole #3 of the West Course, recorded at 165 yards on June 7, 2025.
The Ace of Aces tournament is the pinnacle of the RGA calendar, bringing together the 12 individual Ace of the Month winners to compete for ultimate year-end bragging rights.
2026 board of directors announced
Beyond the action on the green, RGA NMI also looked toward the future by announcing its newly elected board of directors, who will guide the association through the 2026 season:
President: Ben Pelisamen
Vice President: Kaegel Taitano
Secretary: Harry Nakamura
Treasurer: Franco Santos
Tournament Director: Joseph Sasamoto
Tournament Scoring Director: Tony Satur
Marketing Director: Zhiyun Li
RGA NMI also recognized and thanked LaoLao Bay Golf & Resort for its continued support.
James Sablan has been a sports reporter for Variety since 2013. He was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College and covers all local sports.
