Cook Islands is leading both the men’s and the women’s teams competitions as the Pacific Mini Games golf tournament heads into the final round today. Stunning individual performances by Kirk Tuaiti and Sonny Karati in both rounds yesterday shot the Cook Islands team to the top of the competition with 629 points. Samoa is second with 637 with New Caledonia back at 650. A five-under par round of 65 in the afternoon preceded by a morning round of 69 has given Tuaiti a two-shot lead at -5 in the individual men’s tournament. Team mate Sonny Karati is second on the leaderboard with -3 after posting an equally hot four under 66 yesterday afternoon and a 69 in the morning. In third place is New Caledonia’s Jean-Max Ho at -1 after a morning 67 followed by a 72 in the afternoon. This sets the scene for a great battle for the gold medal today between the two Cook Islands team mates. Cook Islands ladies have played solidly if not spectacularly to take a 19 point lead over Tahiti going into final play today. Maara Kenning’s 73 was one of the best scores of the day while Elmay Viking had her worst round of the tournament with a 77 which was still one of the better rounds posted. In the individual women’s contest, New Caledonia’s Charlotte Navarro on + 8 three shots did better than Cook Island’s Elmay Viking with +11. With the next contender Gye Oh of Fiji on +17, the final round battle today between 17-year-old Navarro and 14-year-old Viking should be a great golfing spectacle. - Gray Clapham: Cook Islands News
Last Modified on 26/09/2009 07:17