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Groves noses out Aguon for MGA January Ace
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Posted on Feb 04 2021
Marianas Golf Association January ace winner Chris Groves is flanked by runner-up Isaac Aguon, right, and third placer Keoni Chariton during the awards ceremony for the Jan. 30 tournament at the Laolao Bay Golf & Resort. (Contributed Photo)
Chris Groves grabbed one of the last four monthly ace awards in the 2020-2021 season of the Marianas Golf Association after prevailing in the January tournament held on the west course of the Laolao Bay Golf & Resort.
The 9-handicapper recorded a 40 on the front nines and 37 on the back for a gross 77 and net 68. Groves matched the net score of Isaac Aguon, but the former won the tiebreak and the first place honors via the scorecard playoff, 35.5-37.5 (players handicap divided by 2 and subtracted from scores on the front nine). Aguon, a 21-handicapper, also earned a net 68 following his 48 in the first nines holes and 41 in the last for a gross 89.
Joining Groves and Aguon in the Top 3 was Keoni Chariton, who was just one stroke behind the two tied golfers. The 16-handicapper Chariton fired a 45 and 40 on the front and back nines, respectively, for a gross 85 and net 69.
With Groves winning the January Ace, he will play in the club championship, joining Ron Benavente (May Ace), Chris Leon Guerrero (June), Don Hallmark (July), Joey Dela Cruz (August), John Sablan (September), Calvin Yamagishi (October), Patrick Guerrero (November), and Shine Tenorio. MGA will only need the winners of the February, March, and April events to complete the club championship cast.
Beside taking a seat in MGA’s season-ending tournament, Groves also won closest to the pin honors on the par-3, 148-yard No. 13. Other closest to the pin winners in par-3 holes were Jerome Sablan on the 173-yard No. 3; J.J. Atalig on the 155-yard No. 7; and Mel Sablan on the 137-yard No. 17.
Meanwhile, 19 MGA members battled for the January Ace at the Laolao Bay Golf & Resort, including junior golfer Joshua Atalig, who scored a net 81 in his debut with the club. Other participants in the Jan. 30 tournament were John Terlaje (net 72), Joel Dela Cruz (72), Carl Hocog (73), Dung Tenorio (74), Dennis Mendiola (75), Mel Sablan (75), Joe “Kamikaze” Camacho (78), Marco Peter (78), J.J. Atalig (80), Gerald Guerrero (80), Sebastian Camacho (84), Patrick George (84), Steve Aguon (86), and Yamagishi (88).
From Laolao, MGA players will head to the newly reopened Coral Ocean Resort for the February Ace Tournament on Feb. 21.
