Palacios, Jones top RP Independence Day golf tourney

Newcomer Glenna Palacios won the members category, while veteran par-buster Ben Jones topped the guest division of the Philippine Independence Day Golf Tournament held last Saturday at the Coral Ocean Point Resort golf course.

Palacios fired a net score of 13-under 59 to best 31 other members of the Fil-Taga Golfers Association, who organized the event. A 48-handicap player, Palacios finished the front nine with a 52 and then cranked it up with a 55 in the back for a gross score of 107.

“This is the first time I won a major tournament and I’m very happy. The conditions were hot today. I only started playing golf a year ago. But I hardly went out until six month ago when I became really serious in playing.”

She said her victory would only spur her to improve and develop her golf game more. Palacios also attributed Sen. Pete Reyes for mentoring her on the sport.

“I’d like to thank Sen. Reyes. He’s my golf instructor. Although he’s very difficult, has a lot of high expectations, very demanding and very mean – sometimes I would like, cry on the course – I’m still very grateful because if not for him I wouldn’t be walking away with the first-place trophy tonight.”

Palacios works in the Senate. She won $300 for her victory.

Seven strokes behind Palacios was runner-up Joe Miranda. Miranda had a gross score of 79 but because of his 13 handicap finished with six-under par 66 net score. He took home $200. Third place went to Gil Faller just two shots off Miranda’s mark at four-under 68. Also a 13-handicap golfer, Faller registered a gross score of 81.

Jones, for his part, took the title in the non-members category after recording a net score of five-under 67. The 53-year-old former PSS physical education instructor went 41 in the first nine holes before coming up with a 40 in the back nine for a gross score of 81. Jones has a 14 handicap.

“Actually I had problems playing with the guys because they’re all better than me. I just tried to do my best. Sasaki [Oliver] has been beating me all my life anyway on the golf course, so it was a pleasure beating him this time. I think he just messed up his game.”

Running second to Jones was George Moses, who fell short by a stroke at four-under 68. Moses had a gross score of 83. Third place went to Jung Euk Teack, who registered a three-under 69 after coming up with a gross of 82.

Jones, Moses and Jung got the same prize money as the winners in the members division.

Jones and Douglas Puckett also won the day’s low gross, while winning the closest to the pin awards were Kyonam Kim in No. 3, Puckett in No. 7 and 12, and Rex Moses in No. 17.

Fil-Taga president Ted Malaran congratulated all the winners and thanked all the participants – members and guests alike – for choosing to celebrate the 106th Anniversary of Philippine Independence with them.

“This tournament is a big success. This has been the most successful. The members and guests all had a grand time. We had lots of donations and raffle prizes. Actually we we’re not expecting this kind of turnout. We got 54 altogether and we expected only 45 to sign up.”