Newly elected Apo board member Leo Yap and his playing partner Ryan Gotan claimed the premier team gross championship of the 31st Durian Tee Golf Invitational tournament held at the Apo Golf and Country Club from August 10-13,2023.
The Yap-Gotan tandem amassed 198 Molave points in outpointing the fancied pair of Raul Minoza and Felix Ian Dagatan who combined for 196 points. Minoza and Dagatan salvaged runner up honors in the ight battle for supremacy in the four-day golfest.
The biggest triumph, however, reverberated aroud the Apo Clubhouse with the return of the longest-running golf tournament this side of the country.
“I would like to express my deepest thanks and appreciation to the members of the board and working committee, our sponsors and most of all, to you golfers for making this 31st edition of Durian Tee a success” said Presidential Assistant for Eastern Mindanao Secretary Leo Abellera Magno, who also serves as Apo Golf and Country Club president.
Sharing the limelight is the partnership of Cole Te Siong and Ronnie Balcita who garnered a net 244 points to crowned themselves as Net Team Champion besting the duo of Stephen Herrera and Benjamin Ausin (240) to get the runner up trophy.
As expected, Ernest James Casintahan emerged as the best golfer of them all by taking the Overall gross title with his106 Molave points equivalent to 2 over par 74 for the two-day tourney. Youthful Angelo Antivo a 20 handicapper, grabbed the Overall Net plum with this net 128 points.
The tournamentt is co-presented by the Rizal Memorial Colleges, Discovery Samal, JINYI Trading Company, K & G Golfing Apparel and MX3 and Diamond sponsors namely Davao Eaglemasters, Diamond Logistics and Customs Brokerage, EV Mining and Development Corp, Kart Plaza, ANGCORE Group and UMBN with Edge Davao as its media partner.
Rounding up the individual winners are Mark Lu (106) and Randy Arevalo (116) who ruled as Class A gross and net champions over Rek Mise (105) and Addy Briones (112) who took the runner up honors for the division.
Jessie Tan (98) and Benhur Villarosa (120) copped the gross and net title plum for Class B with Manfred Lawas (96) and Jigs Calixto (118) settling for as runners up, respectively.
For Class Division, Kim Panaguiton (87) copped the Gross Title over Eric Piatos (86) with Fred Penaroyo (127) copped the Net Champion title over Councilor Jay Areja (121).
Bridget Cordero (118) and Maria Lourdes Tan Babol (74) of the well-known Dacudao clan topped the Ladies Division as Net and Gross champions. Alyssa Quioge and Evelyn Junsay settled for the Net and gross runner up honors respectively.
Senior Golfers Noel Armilla and Alan Alegre got the Net and Gross diadem with Ben Bonador and Vicente Tuason taking home the runner up honors.
Unfortunately, not one golfer was able to hit the jackpot hole in one during the four-day tournament but thru the generosity of major sponsor K&G, the intended hole in one prize of P100,000 was instead raffled off into four 25,000 pesos gift certificates.
“With barely a month and a half of preparation, we really worked double time and through the tireless leadership of tournament chairman Ed Herrera, we were able to overcome the odds, we are overwhelmed by the response of more than 400 golfers who answered our call,” Magno said in his closing remarks.
Golfer enjoyed the food and drinks served by the host Apo Golf Club as laughter blend with the music from the acoustic band who set the mood and lift up the tired golfers who endured the heat on the four-day competition. RMC- Petro Gazz Gym served as the venue for the awarding ceremonies.
“See you all in our 32nd edition of Durian Tee” Chairman Ed Herrera concluded.
