Larry DLG wins, but Balakrishna takes SGA October Ace

LARRY I. Deleon Guerrero carded a net 67 in the Saipan Golf Association October Ace of the Month tournament at the Kingfisher Golf Links on Oct. 19.

DL Guerrero, who has a handicap of 19, submitted a gross score of 86, including a 42 on front nine and 44 on the back to rule the weekend tournament.

But due to tournament rules, second place finisher Steve Balakrishna, who had a net 69, was declared October Ace winner. DL Guerrero had already won the April Ace title, disqualifying him from taking another monthly plum.

The 8-handicapper Balakrishna posted the lowest gross score of 77 after coming up with the lowest scores in both the front and back nines, firing a 37 and 40, respectively.

Norbert Sablan, one of the four players who made a greenie that led to his lone birdie on hole No. 6, closed out with a net 70 as the 23-handicapper had a 47 on the front and a 46 on the back.

The others with greenies were John Babauta on hole No. 8, Jess Castro on hole No. 12 and Ray San Nicolas on hole No. 15.

Tony Camacho also finished with a 70 for fourth place.

Camacho and Sablan were tied, but the scorecard playoff at hole No. 17 put Sablan ahead via the lowest handicap hole with a par against Camacho’s bogey.

John Babauta and John Takai came up with identical net 71 for fifth and sixth, while Jess Castro had a net 72 for seventh place.

Four players finished with similar net scores of 73, and the list Edward Manibusan (8th), Joe Demapan (9th), Rick Kautz (10th), and Mariano Fajardo (11th).

Two players shot the longest drive with Castro on hole No. 14 and Kautz on No. 2.

Twenty-five players joined the October tournament

Completing the list were Frank Rosario (74), Art Deleon Guerrero (75), Joe Rosario (76), Ned Norita (77), Manny Alverez (77), Jose I. Sablan (77), Tony DL Guerrero (77), Ron Hodges (78), Ben Aldan (78), Martin Sablan (78), Ray San Nicolas (79), Jung Teack (81), and Das Krishnan (85).

Norita had the most birdies with three, including two on the front nine (hole Nos. 7 and Hole. 9). He had a bogey-free round in the first nine holes, giving him the second lowest score on the front with his 38.

But the five-handicapper started on the back nine with a bogey on the 10th and although he recovered easily with his third birdie on the 11th and a par on the 12th, he couldn’t get his rhythm back as he bogeyed his last six holes, including a triple bogey on the 16th.

Meanwhile, SGA announced that the annual Turkey Shootout event will be held on Nov. 16 with the venue to be announced later.