Starting the day 14 points adrift from the leaders, Davao City Golf Club mustered all strength for a final day push and came close to succeeding.
However, just when the boys from the fabled golf course in Matina were to celebrate a strong second place division finish in the 74th Philippine Airlines Seniors Interclub, the unthinkable happened.
After sinking the last putt on the 18th hole, the Davao golfers were summoned to the tournament officials room and were told their handicaps were reviewed and found to belong to the Aviator division insttead of the Friendship division where they played for all four days.
Tough luck as the top performer among the Davao City club entries in the country’s unofficial team golf championship were denied of the celebration.
The Matina boys of Davao City Golf club could have placed a strong second in the Friendship Division after garnering 402 points falling behind by a mere 6 points to eventual champion Malaysian Eagle Hunter’s 408 points.
However, Davao City Golf’s celebration was shortlived. Just as when they are about to leave the green at 18th hole, they were called by the organizers for a clarification meeting. At the meeting, they were advised that their classification in the Friendship division was upgraded into Aviator as per their recomputed team handicap.
“This is unfair” says assistant team captain Ben Bonador.
“We have been playing for the last four days in the Friendship Division and now after finishing on the 18th green of the Club Filipino, we were advised that our classification have to be adjusted?” Bonador added.
“We won’t allow this thing to happen sitting down, we will file a protest,” he concluded.
Apo Golf and Country Club competing in the Founder’s Division finished at 13th place despite their last day charge of 128 points bringing their total to 477 points.
After briefly holding on to number 3 after the first day of competition, the boys of Apo apparently lost steam when the competition shifted to the Club Filipino Golf on the second and third day where majority of other golf teams also nose dived after playing the treacherous golf course.
Superpower Cebu Golf and Country Club, the wire to wire winner, started on the first day of competition like a house on fire and emerged as champion in the Founder’s Division without surrendering the lead since day 1 up to the final putt with their total aggregate score of 564 points.
Team Rancho Palos Verdes hang tough in the top 10 with their 5th place finish in the Sportswriter’s Division after accumulating 396 points. The team got stymied in their bid after experiencing early success on the first day when they free fall at the Club Filipino on the second day and third day of competition.
Powerhouse host Club Filipino topped the field in the Sportswriter’s Division with 457 points.
Meanwhile, Lanang golf competing in the Aviator’s placed 11th in the division with an aggregate score of 411. Lanang gained some grounds playing in Alta Vista during the second and penultimate day but they lost momentum on the final day when they failed to solve the puzzle that is Club Filipino. Mimosa Golf took away the top plum in the Division with 471 points.
The top individual scorers among the Davao City golfers are Rufino “Bobong” Cabang of Apo Golf ( 88) Founders Division, Lanang’s Paul Dacudao (80) points Aviator Division, Randy Cadiogan (69) of Palos Verdes in the Sportswriters Division and Menilio Narciso of Davao City Golf (82) Friendship Division.
Davao City-based sports columnist Chito Malabanan of Edge Davao topscored for International team- Team Dirab in the Sportswriter Division with 75 points.
