Golfers of the Week – 17 years later, Apo Club soars high

Strong winds, tight fairways and the presence of strong rivals during the 63rd Philippine Airlines Interclub Golf Tournament in Bacolod City were the main factors considered by the seniors team members of the Apo Golf and Country Club.
Apo general manager Martin Luke Misa said the superb scoring of the players were not really expected, but they came up with the winning numbers to total 500 points in the four-day competition.
Fil-Am Hawaii Club followed in second place with 468 points, Villamor Club and host Bacolod were third with 465, Navy Club fourth with 464 and another Davao team, Rancho PalosVerdes Golf and Country Club at fifth.
“They went there not just to play but to win,” said Misa, who bared that the Club won its first title 17 years ago.
Team captain Soc Cadayona, father of outstanding Ateneo football player Maan, assembled the best senior players based on their performances at their home course.
Tony Gumapac, Osamu Ikeda, Jun Serado, Ting Castillo, Amado Atillano, Chito Nucum and Monching Tam Jr. answered the “call of duty” to see action in the Sportswriter’s Division that attracted 41 teams.
The Apo golfers were behind by two points on Day One with Tam chipping in 40 points and 39 points each from Cadayona and Atilano at the Marapara course. The next day at the Binitin course, Ikeda (46), Castillo (42) and Serado (40) delivered the goods and led their division by 10 points.
Serado sizzled with 43 points on Day Three, 40 from Castillo and 38 from Ikeda and on the final day, the Apo golfers could no longer be denied the victory when Atilano scored 49 points, Cadayano contributed 45 and Tam helped with 39 points.
Atilano said they applied course management by playing well with their irons, sent their balls on low flights and came up with better ball placements. “Strong winds can be resolved by using irons, forget the drivers,” he said.
Misa said that he even expected their regular team to figure well, too, but they just played badly. “I hope next year sa Cagayan de Oro, they can bounce back,” he said.
The celebrations have actually started with Marianing Fernandez, Tony Gumapac and Jun Serado and the Apo Club hosting victory dinners for the team. “We would like to thank them for their thoughtfulness,” said Misa.
And next year, they look forward to another victory. For Misa, another 17 more years would be just too, too long to wait.  [MOSES P. BILLACURA]