Joe Rosario wins SGA February Ace

In a day of high scores due to the windy condition at the fairways, Joe Rosario won the Saipan Golf Association February Ace Tournament via tiebreak.

Rosario tied January Ace winner Tony Deleon Guerrero after 18 holes as they submitted identical net scores of 76 last Feb. 15 at the Marianas Country Club.

But the former won in the count back system by coming in with a double bogey in the par four hole No. 5 while the latter tripled.

Rosario, who has a 19 handicap, submitted a gross of 95 after coming in with 49 in the first nine holes and 46 after the turn.

The 14-handicapper Deleon Guerrero also scored 49 in the front nine and 41 in the back for a gross 90.

Lone female entry Frances Sablan also prevailed via the tiebreak to place third as she tied SGA vice president Jess Castro after the two carded identical net scores of 78.

Sablan tripled in hole No. 5, while Castro had a double par.

The 26-handicapper Sablan had 55 in the front nine and 49 in the back for a gross of 104, while the nine-handicapper Castro finished with 87 after coming in with 46 and 41.

Castro, however, went on to score the longest drive in the par four hole No. 2, sharing the honors with retired Superior Court presiding judge Ed Manibusan, who did it in the par four hole No. 17.

SGA secretary Larry Guerrero shot the closest to the pin in the par three hole No. 6.

“It was a day for the longest and highest net for a winner because it’s always been below 70,” said Guerrero, who made a net 86.

Ron Hodges, who came in with a net 85, scored the closest to the pin in the par three hole No. 8, while Manibusan, who finished a net 84, clinched the closest to the pin in hole No. 12 and Martin Sablan in hole No. 16.

In the hunt for birdies, Hodges made three with one each in the second, fifth, and 13th holes, while Jess Castro had it in the ninth and 15th and Manibusan in the 13th and 15th.

Four players had one each, including Larry Guerrero in the 17th, Tony Guerrero in the 12th, Rey San Nicolas in seventh, and Jung Teack, also in the seventh.

Meanwhile, SGA announced that it elected its new set of officers recently. They were Ben Aldan, who replaces Martin Sablan as president, Jess Castro (vice president), Larry Guerrero (secretary), Joe Sablan (treasurer).

Aldan also appointed the five members of the board of directors.

They were Ed Manibusan (chairman of membership and handicap committee), Mariano Fajardo (chairman of tournament and rules committee), Ed Sablan (chairman of community support and public relations), Frank Rosario (member), and Rey San Nicolas (member).

The Ace for the Month Tournament for March will be played at the Kingfishers Golf Links but no definite date has been set yet.