BAGUIO CITY — Tommy Manotoc was stunned after his par putt from three feet rimmed out on the final hole, but still walked off the green a happy man. He exchanged high fives with his playing partners and had a wide grin when he met teammate Rene Unson.
“I did pretty well out there,” the 73-year-old warrior said. “I fought hard and gave it all.”
Manotoc shot 30 points, making his only birdie on the par-3 15th where he used a rescue off 195 yards to stick the ball within six feet.
He took half a swing to send the ball high, landing near the hole before stopping.
“I couldn’t even appreciate my shot,” he told a small gallery. “Puwede pa ba?”
Manotoc, who joined the Greenwater Golfers at the last minute, said he felt strong.
“I feel even stronger when I was 60 years old,” he said.
It marked the first time Manotoc was playing outside the championship division since making his debut at the age of 16 for Luisita.
He wasn’t able to take part last week, but somehow found a team that would take him in for the regular tournament.
“I had to buy two rescue clubs to prepare for this tournament,” he said.
“I love this event and I intend to play as long as I can hit the ball.”
After parring the first two holes, Manotoc picked up on 3 made four straight pars before closing the nine with a bogey.
He bogeyed 10, parred the next four, birdied 15, parred 16 before closing with two bogeys.
Unson raved about the greens.
“It’s the best that I have ever played in,” said Unson who also saw action for Megafiber last week.
Greenwater Golfers, drawing 33 points from junior golfer John Robert Bernis, took a slim two-point lead over Camp John Hay Golf Club Team 1.
Kyruz Bati-El Pasiwen rounded out Greenwater’s scoring. Jimmy Ignacio did not count with 23.
CJH was led by young Emilio Curran who shot 31. He was supported by Ramon Luis Garcia and Ranz Louie Balay-Odao who carded similar 29s and George Punasen who turned in a 28.
Dennis Nicomedes shot the best round at CJH with 39 points to power Uragun 1 to third place with 114. Other scorers were Don Breganza 28, Joe Nathan Tenefrancia 25 and Migs Enrile 22.
Elsewhere, E-Sparta and Time Cargo Logistics Team 2 were locked in first place in Am-A after shooting identical 90 points at the Baguio Country Club.
Chris John Remata led E-Sparta with 30 while Time Cargo drew 29 from David Guangko.
Kumpadres set the early pace in Fil-C, posting 103 points at CJH where Henry Rosito led the team scoring with 30 points.
Trailing by 13 was Fil-Am League of Golfers Chicago while Ultraflite Golf Club 1 was running second with 85.
In Fil-E, Baguio Blue Bloods Wackers leaned on Nicanor Ventura’s 31 points to storm into the lead with 95, 14 points ahead of Isabela Leaders. Wapinoy took third with 79.
Moto opened a slim three-point lead over Baguio Country Club Team 2 after posting 82 points at BCC. In third spot was Green Jacket with 77.
The other leaders were A1 MGC in Fil-D and Cool Jocks Team 2 in Am-D.
