Trauma and drama in PAL Media Golf
WHO said the PAL Media Golf is merely a fun tournament? Think again, fellas. If the PAL Interclub Golf is tooth-and-nail competition, the PAL Media Golf could be more than that.
Held March 5-6 (it used to be three days, the last time was when I won it in 1997 during the PAL Interclub’s golden anniversary) at Bacolod’s Binitin and Marapara, this year’s PAL Media Golf was fraught yet again with trauma and drama .
The first day alone saw Inquirer’s Musong Castillo quit after four holes.
“The earth seemed like moving up and down as I walked down the fairway,” said Musong. Was it an impending seizure or something? “Thank, God, it was only vertigo,” said Musong to me the next day I saw him.
Bulletin chief photographer Albert Garcia, Canada-based Danny Barrozo and pilot Captain Allan Cammayo also surrendered after Round 1 for various reasons.
Garcia and Barrozo invoked heat-induced exhaustion while Cammayo had a flight the next day.
But what could be more traumatic than Rey Bancod’s first-day misadventure, described by tournament director Jake P. Ayson as “bizarre.”
Playing just two-over-par with a hole left at Binitin’s back nine, Rey, the Tempo editor in chief, planted his tee shot into the front bunker guarding the par-3 18th.
He would next transform from dynamite to disaster, getting on in what he believed was eight en route to a 10.
After signing/submitting his scorecard, he counted his strokes again on No. 18. To his horror, he made 12 swings overall.
Immediately, he reported the mistake and next, he disqualified himself, throwing away his tournament-leading 68—and a possible win itself.
“That’s how golf should be played—to be honest at all times,” said Rey, who earned precious praise from all of us.
Former Bulletin sports editor Ding Marcelo and former Inquirer news editor Jun Engracia were declared co-champions. They earned regional tickets, handed down by Josen Perez de Tagle, the new PAL vice president for corporate communications, during Tuesday’s awards night.
Well, if only for the record, I came in next via a toss coin after Davao’s Tommy Inigo and myself tied for third in a gritty field of 20.
As I’m now basically a tournament player, I can’t complain. In fact, I treat my finish as like gold already. Honest.