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CFoGA: Goal is to revive junior program once again
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Posted on Jul 15 2022
CNMI national golfer Joshua Atalig tees off in the No. 1 hole at Coral Ocean Resort during the golf competition of the Northern Marianas Pacific Mini Games 2022. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)
With the impressive gold medal win by 15-year-old Zhimin Jin in the women’s golf competition and with the great performance of each NMI junior golfer during the Northern Marianas Pacific Mini Games 2022, the Commonwealth Federation of Golf Associations said its future goals is to restart the junior golf program in the CNMI.
They said with the exposure of golf to the CNMI youth during the Games, they hope it will spark an interest in them to pick up the sport.
And with that, the CFoGA is “going to try to put together a junior golf program… whether it be an independent program, or one hosted by the federation that will truly support the junior golf program,” said CFoGA president Edward Manibusan.
“We had a junior program [a] long time ago but that kind of died down because we just didn’t have the instructors to do the program,” he added.
J.J. Atalig, NMI national golfer and vice president of the CFoGA, shared Manibusan’s sentiments and said that they hope junior golfers get to participate elsewhere, be it in another Mini Games or in the Pacific Games. “From now looking forward, [it’s] more building on the kids so they can be part of the game. Not saying we’re getting old, but we would want them to continue the legacy.”
“We want to grow the sport of golf, especially the aim is really to improve the junior golfers in the Pacific,” chimed in Geri Dela Cruz, member of the CFoGA.
For the program, not only will they invite children that are interested to join the program, they will be needing the support from businesses and golf courses where they can run the program.
The federation said they will be convening soon to discuss the subject and information on it will be provided as it comes.
The list of accomplishments and experience of junior golfers continue to grow as Jin was adjudged the Best Junior Female athlete of the Games. She began playing golf at the mere age of 7 years old; and Joshua Atalig, 15, who played alongside his father, J.J. Atalig, in the Games, was invited to take part in two tournaments by the American Junior Golf Association this month.
