By James Sablan
james@mvariety.com
Variety News Staff
The tournament, which featured a qualifier round and a final ace round, ended in a deadlock between Guerrero and Sablan after both finished with a two-day net score of 137.
To break the tie, a scorecard playoff was implemented, focusing on the lowest handicap holes to determine the winner. The faceoff unfolded on the deciding No. 7 hole, where the match came down to a single-stroke difference in their net scores — Sablan carded a double bogey while Guerrero finished with a cleaner bogey.
That one-stroke advantage on the challenging hole was enough to hand the prestigious October Ace of the Month title to Guerrero, while Sablan settled for second place.
Before the tiebreaker, both golfers’ results reflected steady, improving play over the two days. Guerrero shot a gross 85 (handicap 17) for a net score of 68 in the qualifier round held on Oct. 12, then posted a gross 86 (handicap 17) for a net score of 69 in the ace round, for a combined two-day total of 137.
Sablan turned in a slightly stronger overall performance, shooting a gross 80 (handicap 12) for a net 68 on day one, followed by a gross 81 (handicap 12) for a net 69 on day two — matching Guerrero’s 137 and setting up the thrilling playoff that decided the championship.
In addition, several players earned $120 cash prizes for their sharp play in the Par 3 optional competition. The list of winners included Sherlyn Jones (hole No. 4), Francis Mendiola (hole No. 6), Sixtus Aquino (hole No. 11), and Joe Torres (hole No. 15).
The November Ace of the Month Tournament will tee off on Nov. 9 with the qualifier round at the East Course, followed by the ace round on Nov. 16 at the West Course.
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.
