Guban, Corcuera conquer Fil-Taga March Ace tourney

Mando Guban and Father Manny Corcuera showed good form last Sunday and emerged victorious in the Fil-Taga March Ace Tournament at the Laolao Golf Resort west course.

Guban put up sterling numbers and grabbed the ace title in the A Flight after shooting for a net score of 65, edging Oliver Sasaki who netted a 72.

Guban completed the 18 holes with a respectable gross score of 79, but with his 14 handicap, finished on top of the hill.

Sasaki, the pride of Pohnpei, tallied the best gross score for the tournament, hitting a 74.

Ted Malaran finished third in the field with a net of 73 after posting a gross of 89 and holding a 16 handicap while Jollibee general manager Ralph Yumul and Gil Faller capped the top five with net scores of 74 and 75. Yumul posted a gross of 87 and had a 13 handicap while Faller grossed an 86 and entered with an 11 handicap.

The rest of the A Flight field with their net scores in parenthesis are George Sablan (75), William Retardo (77), Mike Cruz (77), Rey Ferraz (78), Edgar Abalos (80), Lito Mendoza (81), Jess Aldan (85), Joe Miranda (85), and Jess Yumul (85).

For his part, Father Manny put up the best performance in the B Flight and earned the ace title with a net score of 67. He finished his round with a gross of 85 and saw his score drop even lower with an 18 handicap.

Henry Bautista finished just three strokes behind, netting a 70 after completing his round with a 91 gross score and holding a 21 handicap, while Nono Bostre placed third when his 101 gross combined with his 31 handicap gave him a net of 70.

Nestor Siruelo and Rene Batallones rounded up the top five in the division with net scores of 74. Siruelo finished ahead of Batallones with a gross of 91 and a 17 handicap while Batallones posted a 102 gross. He entered with a 28 handicap.

Others competing in the division were Manny Po (75), Ed Macario (78), Sandy Palon (81), Domingo Cariaso (81), Ernie Lopez (81), Freddie Cataluna (82), Cecilio Dela Cruz (93), Manny Villaga (93), and newcomer John Matsumoto (102).

Established in 1993, Fil-Taga’s tournaments operate under a computer-controlled handicap system that creates parity among players in the A and B flights.

A Fil-Taga Ace of the Month champion is crowned monthly. Regular tournaments are scheduled once a month, normally every third Sunday. Green fees are in the $35 to $40 price range for most tournaments.

For more information on Fil-Taga’s monthly tournaments and its season-ending Golfer of the Year Tournament, contact president Ted Malaran at 322-1234 or 287-1227.