A game among friends

One of the greatest players in men’s professional golf, Arnold Palmer, once said that “golf satisfies the soul and frustrates the intellect. It is at the same time rewarding and maddening — and it is without a doubt the greatest game mankind has ever invented.” It was a rewarding afternoon indeed, full of amity and sportsmanship, at the recent 17th Sakura- Sampaguita Scramble, a major annual tournament greatly anticipated and hosted by the Japanese community and led by Japanese ambassador Kazuhide Ishikawa and his charming wife, Yuki Ishikawa. The friendship game was held in collaboration with Manila Golf and Country Club ( MGCC) led by its president Martin Romualdez supported by grounds committee chairman Ramon Regala and caddy committee chairman George Blaylock as well as special board adviser

Macario Te and solidly represented by major Japanese corporations such as Mitsubishi Shoji Kaisha Ltd., Mitsui & Co. ( Asia Pacific) Pte. Ltd., Itochu Corp., Sumitomo Corp. as well as Toyota Motor Philippines Corp. and San Miguel Corp. of the Philippines and several others. With a total of 81 participants, the tournament had a shotgun start at 11 am. Representatives of the various Japanese companies enjoyed the day at the green including US ambassador Philip

Goldberg and special guest, former Japanese ambassador Toshinao Urabe. Major spon sors of the event were Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp., Diamond Motor Corp. and Lexus Manila, and the trophies and raffle prizes were truly fabulous. Congratulations for a truly successful Sakura-Sampaguita Scramble golf tournament!

MGCC house committee director Bernadine Siy, Antonio Moraza, Marit Yuchengco, Martin Romualdez, Emmanuel Te, Ambassador Kazuhide Ishikawa and wife Yuki

Bernadine Siy, Sumitomo Corp.’s Hiroshi Shiraishi, Martin Romualdez, Costa Rica consul general Fausto Preysler, Jr., Ambassador Kazuhide Ishikawa, Letty Laurel, Ramon Regala, and George Blaylock

Japanese ambassador Kazuhide Ishikawa, Lawrence Ty, US ambassador Philip Goldberg, and Manila Golf and Country Club (MGCC) president Martin Romualdez

Poch Robles, MGCC caddy committee member Emmanuel Te, Yuki Ishikawa (wife of Japanese ambassador Kazuhide Ishikawa), former ambassador Toshinao Urabe, and Shinko Amano

Ramon Regala, Byron Chua, Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp.’s Kazuki Sugino, Letty Laurel, Bernadine Siy, and Wilson Young

Martin Romualdez, your columnist and MGCC special board adviser Macario Te

Rey Maclang, Helen Cruz and MGCC grounds committee chairman Ramon Regala

Toby Gan, Arsenic Laurel, Mitsui & Co. (Asia Pacific) Pte. Ltd.’s Yoshiyuki Hata, and Macario Laurel

Lawyer Eric Quiason, San Miguel Corp.’s Teruyuki Daino and MGCC caddy committee chairman George Blaylock

Margarita Investment & Management Co.’s Michiko Graf sings for the guests

Antonio Olbes and Marit Yuchengco