Friendship

Bacolod City – It feels like being home when everywhere you go, you bump into a familiar face or see friends who share your passion.

This is not being in your hometown, but being in the Philippine Airlines Interclub Golf Tournament.

This is the 17th time that I have covered this event, which is now on its 63rd edition. Every year, I make new friends and see old ones. 

There are also those who have been here every year since I first covered the tournament also here in Bacolod back in 1994 – the PAL staff, the media and many of the players.

The reason why they come to the PAL Interclub is that it is like coming home to a place where you see many familiar faces.

* * *

One thing that makes the golf courses in Bacolod difficult are not just the length of the holes especially at the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club, but also the swirling winds that have blown away many egos.

During the past two days spent for the practice round of the men’s regular event that tees off today, it seems that the winds have been tamed, but the heat has been extreme that several did not bother to finish their round yesterday.

At the Bacolod Golf and Country Club in the town of Murcia, the fairways were like rock solid and the roll of the ball somehow gives you the feeling that you can actually hit longer than usual.

At the NOGCC course, the tees were pushed to the rearmost in almost all holes that oftentimes you had to look behind you to make sure you won’t hit the fence on your backswing.

There are however some changes expected today when the tournament starts, but one more thing that we can definitely look forward to would be the battle for pride and glory among the top teams not only in the premiere Championship division, but also in the other categories.

For those who don’t know, the Championship division has been named as such since it is the category where the cream of the crop are lumped together with the newcomers, who are yet to establish a record in the PAL Interclub.

The Founders division is named in honor of those who started the tournament while the Sportswriters class is in honor of the men and women, who cover the event every year for their different media outfits.

The Friendship division, which is the lowest category among the four, is in honor of what we all came here for aside from golf – friendship.

* * *

MILESTONES: Belated birthday greetings to Councilor Tonypet Ouano of Getafe, Bohol, who turned a year older yesterday. The same goes to my Tao sis Gen Tabada.

Today’s birthday greetings go to my mistah Lt. Col. Richard Ruffy of the Philippine Army as well as to Marilee Estampador, one of the Cebuanos who were formerly the standouts of the national fencing team.

More power to all of you!