A golden year for golf

Everyone was in high spirits during the awards night of the 42nd Golden Tee Invitational Tournament held at The Manila Golf and Country Club (MGCC) in Makati.

With beauties like 2010 Miss International semi-finalist Krista Kleiner, Daiana Menezes, Aubrey Miles and Iwa Moto as segment performers, I introduced MGCC president David Coyukiat for the opening remarks. This was followed by the awarding proper for this year’s winners: Overall champions Caesar Wongchuking, Sr. and Rodolfo Manuel, Men’s Club champion Arsenic Laurel and runner-up Richie Garcia (who was also the Men’s Seniors’ Club champion), and Ladies’ Club champion Sandy Prieto-Romualdez. Sharing a Toyota Camry for scoring a hole-in-one were Ramon “Mulsy” Regala and Perry Uy. The Sponsors’ Tournament ended with Sebastian Lorenzo as champion and Jonas Sarmiento and Peter Murphy as runners-up. With a sumptuous buffet dinner, stunning fireworks, to-die-for raffle prizes — from cars, exquisite watches from Lucerne, trips to Las Vegas and Beijing, golf clubs, laptops, smartphones to digital cameras — and dancing to the Highway 54 band, what more can one ask from a memorable evening? This year counted around 600 participants.

Besides the annual tournament, the past year has been very busy for the MGCC board of directors with the completion of major projects such as the new Sandtrap Bar and Restaurant, renovation of the East and West function rooms, and the new design of the four-foot diameter Rolex clock overlooking the first tee and putting green — the only one in the country so far! All these amenities were completed — at no cost to members.

More power to special board adviser Macario Te, tournament chairman Raoul Romulo and the Manila Golf and Country Club board! See you again next year!