Gutierrez, partner cop S’woods seniors plum

MANILA, Philippines - Danny Gutierrez and Mari Castañeda combined for 138 points to run away with the Group I crown while Frankie Flameño and Boni Vergel de Dios topped Group 2 with 137.5 in the sixth Manila Southwoods Seniors Invitational Tournament at the Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club in Carmona, Cavite recently.

Gutierrez and Castañeda pooled 70.5 points under the aggregate-medal play format at the Legends course then assembled 67.5 points at the Masters layout to beat the Ernesto Galicia-Severino Oliva pair by five in the 18-hole tournament presented by Megafiber Psyllium Fiber and Goutritis Herbal Supplement. 

Meanwhile, another huge field is expected in the next Southwoods seniors trimester birthday bash tournament slated in April, according to the organizing Southwoods’ Seniors Chapter, headed by president/tournament chairman Paco Gonzalez and vice president Rod Pepito.

Galicia and Oliva matched Gutierrez and Castañeda’s output at Legends but slowed down at Masters with 72.5 to settle for runner-up with a 143 in the event which featured Southwoods senior members and their respective guests aged 55 years old and above.

Flameño and Vergel de Dios recovered from a first round 73.5 output at Legends with a solid 64-point effort at Masters for a 137.5 aggregate as they repulsed Mario Naval and Kaloy Iñigo, who failed to sustain a 71 start with a closing 67.5 for a 138.5 total, for the Group 2 crown in the event backed by hole-in-one sponsors Yamaha by Kart Plaza, Mizuno Sports and Wilson Sports.

Francis Celones and Goody Hernandez dominated Group 3 with a 133.5 total from rounds of 66.5 and 67, winning by six over Mel Gozum and Fred Dimalanta, who blew a solid 64 at Legends with a 75.5 output at Masters for 139.5.

Romie Perdon won the nearest to the pin award (13 feet on No. 17 at Masters) and Deo Cristobal, who also won an EZ-GO Txt golf cart, took the longest drive plum (397 yards on No. 8 at Masters) in the fun holes side of the event supported by annual hole sponsors Am-Europharma/Surechoice, Asia Pacific Golf Corp., Red Eagle Lending Investors Corp., Resorts World Manila, Romago, Inc., Rudy Project Phils., Tocoms Phils. and Warbird Security and Investigation Agency.

Other hole sponsors were Boracay Sands Hotel, Caramba Foods Corp., Camp John Hay Coffee Services, Camp John Hay Golf Club, Fairbright Enterprises, Inc., Foodenizer, Golden Nutritious Foods Corp., Group Management Development Inc., Mit-Air, Inc., Francis Celones, Rider by Elro Corp., Sherwoods Hills Golf Club, Sun Cellular and The Manor at Camp John Hay.