The 3rd tournament within the PAL Interclub

UNKNOWN to many, there is a third tour nament within the PAL Interclub Golf. But what is the second tournament?

The PAL Seniors event, devoted to players 55 years old or above, ending March 2.

If they have energy left, they can also play in the PAL Men’s Regular March 58.

Again, the tyranny of deadline had me submitting this column before the Seniors’ third round could even tee off.

If Canlubang won, no surprise there. It had the eminent Tommy Manotoc back in the roster to begin with.

But if 16-time champion Luisita prevailed (it was leading as of this writing), or dark horse Cebu Country Club, I’ll take any of that anytime.

Now if Del Monte won, Ka Tino Tugot, Del Monte's greatest son, could be still turning in his grave--in maddening glee.

Golf is so unpredictable the winner will be known only after the last putt is dropped. OK, what’s the third tournament again? The PAL Media Golf.

It is actually older than the 33rd PAL Seniors—its stirrings recorded in the late Seventies.

The old Bacolod course, now a subdivision peopled by the old rich of Negros Occidental, was the first venue of the PAL Media Golf.

If memory serves, the late Tony Siddayao, the dean of Filipino sportswriters, was the first champion.

I was there but since I played halfheartedly—I found the game boring then— I did not complete the 18-hole grind.

But years later, I would finish third in Davao—behind champion Jun Engracia and Lito Tacujan, both retired.

Lito and I had a spat the year before in Cebu and we had been avoiding each other since like the bubonic plague.

So that during the awarding ceremonies in Davao’s Apo, Jun commanded us: “C’mon, shake hands you goddamn bastards!”

We did. And friendship bloomed a second time for Lito and me.

When I won the PAL Media golf in the tournament’s golden year in Bacolod in 1997, Lito was among the first to congratulate me.

“Well done, partner,” he said.

My prize? Two business class PAL tickets to New York. Awesome.