Ganacias grateful for winning March Ace of the Month

Dan Ganacias won the Fil-Taga Golfers Association March Ace of the Month Tournament last March 26 at the Coral Ocean Point Golf Resort in Obyan. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

Dan Ganacias qualified for the season-ending Fil-Taga Golfers Association Ace of Aces Tournament after topping the club’s March Ace of the Month Tournament last March 26 at the Coral Ocean Point Golf Resort in Obyan.

The 60-year-old vice president of Engineering at RadioCom Saipan Inc. shot a net score of 70 after carding an 82 gross. Ganacias fired a 42 in the front nine before the 12-handicapper brought it home with a 40 in the back nine to take the club’s monthly honors.

The win was worth $150 for Ganacias and he’s grateful for topping the monthly ace and qualifying for Fil-Taga’s Ace of Aces Tournament. Last year, he won the February Ace.

“I was surprised for winning our March Ace tournament and with that, I am grateful. We had a strong field that day. I set myself to just enjoy the game. My wife is very supportive of my golfing also helped on my winning. Thank you Zaiyra,” he said.

Ganacias said the course conditions last March 26 were such in good shape that good scores were just up for the taking. “The weather was also good that day that it did not pose much of a factor during our tournament.”

He is dedicating his victory in the March Ace to his father, Lee Ganacias. “He introduced the game to me in my high school years. I did not like the sport then, but with my father’s persistent encouragement, I grew to love the game of golf. I enjoy the camaraderie when I play golf with my clubmates or any players I play with. Best of all, about golf, is that it is my stress-reliever.”

Coming in second to Ganacias in the Fil-Taga March Ace of the Month Tournament was Joseph Fernandez, who shot a net 72 on the power of his 23 handicap that shredded his gross of 95 (47-48). Completing the Top 3 was Tony Cabrera who had a net 74 (95, 48-47).

Ganacias thus joins Ruben Avendano (January) and Lito Mendoza (February) as the early qualifiers for the Fil-Taga’s Ace of Aces Tournament for 2022.

A total of 13 golfers took part in Fil-Taga’s March Ace of the Month Tournament and the rest are the following with their net scores in parenthesis: Ed Varias (75), Fredie Cataluna (75), Avendano (76), Rodel Macasinag (77), Mike Cruz (78), Wil Mau (78), Bae Hak Chon (79), Emil Padernal (80), Jhun Cayetano (86), and Romy Cayetano (96). In the par 3 competition, Cataluna, Ganacias (twice), and Maui took the cake.