By NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO
Sixty nine years and counting.
By any standards of longevity, that numbers should go down as a hallmark for durability. Not to mention, excellent organzation.
For yet another year, national flag carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) exteded its hospitality felt all throughout the aviation industry to the golfing media—editors, columnists, writers and photogs alike—to another golfing respite slash competition.
The PAL Media golf tournament has been the side event of the annual golfing classic featuring close to 200 golf teams around the world. In between the Seniors and Men’s tournaments, the media tournament takes place for two days of competition called the “other Interclub.”
It’s no ordinary competition. It features writers based in the provinces and the Metro as well as visiting journalists from the Middle East, Canada and the United States.
But if course, it’s not just the competition that media golfers come to the Interclub, it’s the reunion of brotherhood in the sportswriting business. And PAL makes this happen by laying out its red carpet and unmatched service.
Shirley Ho-Vicario, head of PAL’s Corporate Communications, graciously headed the PAL Corp Comm team that included Pinky Mag-Iba Balagtas, Jonathan Gesmundo and fresh additions Marla Manundo and Paeng Evangelista, in making sure that the coverage team get’s VIP treatment.
The media tournament has always been one that the PAL Interclub media regulars are looking forward to, counting the years back since PAL fly in the sportswriters to cover the event.
For the tournment proper, the records have finally fallen. It started when Nimrod Quinones broke the stronghold of the Manila golfing sportscribes by winning at his hometurf in Alta Vista in Cebu. This year was the year of Mindanao with top three cornered by Mindanaoans. Not one golfing Mindanao editor and photographer has ever won the PAL Interclub title in history.
Not this year though.
Mark one for history as three Mindanaoans finished 1-2-3 in this year’s annual Philippine Airlines (PAL) Interclub Media Golf tournament held last Feb. 29 and March 1 in two golf courses around Luzon.
Photographer Noel Alipoyo, a native of Cagayan de Oro City, who represented the Arab News carded a total net score of 171 to emerge as the champion. Finishing second and third were Davao bets Tommy Iniggo of Mindanao Daily Mirror and Imee Garcia of Sunstar Davao.
A total of 22 players from different international, national and local news outlets joined this year’s PAL Interclub Media golf tournament.
Defending champion Quinones of Cebu failed to defend his title while last year’s second placer Rey Fortaleza of Vancouver, Canada finished 17th with a net 173.
It is also worth mentioning that Mindanao Times sports editor Jon Develos and photographer Bing Gonzales completed a sweep for Davao as they each won the two raffled PAL tickets for any regional destination.
This year’s participants are Noel Alipoyo, Tommy Inigo, Imee Garcia, Jun Engracia, Al Mendoza, Musong Castillo, Ding Marcelo, Rey Bancod, Rene Baena, Dodo Catacutan, Ted Melendres, Dante Navarro, Adrian Flores, Jake Ayson, Lito delos Reyes, Lito Tacujan, Rey Fortaleza, Jon Develos, Roland Jumawan, and Chito Manuel. Regular participant Neil Bravo of Edge Davao did not play due to injury. █
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