Mendoza and Bostre are April’s best

Lito Mendoza and Nono Bostro topped Fil-Taga Golfers Association’s April Ace of the Month Tournament held last April 23 at the Laolao Bay Golf Resort west course.

Mendoza won the A Division after carding a net score of 72. He actually finished with a gross score of seven-over 79—the day’s lowest gross score—but his numbers were further trimmed after his seven-handicap was deducted.

Mando Guban was just a shot off Mendoza’s pace with his net 73. He came away with a gross score after needing 83 shots to complete the front and back nine.

Gil Faller and Father Manny Corcuera were tied in third place with their identical net scores of 76. Faller and father fired gross scores of 87 and 91, respectively.

Fil-Taga former president Ted “Golden Bear” Malaran round out the Top 5 with his net 78. He had a gross score of 94.

The rest of the players in A Division, with their net scores in parenthesis, were as follows: Ronnie Santos (80); William Retardo (81); Freddie Cataluna (81); Rey Ferraz (82); Alsree Chiong (83); Jess Yumul (84); Jose Miranda (89); and new member Candido Castro, who registered a pre-handicap score of 83.

Bostre, for his part, won the B Division despite finishing two strokes back of February champion Rene Batallones.

Batallones finished with a net score of 71 after registering a gross score of 92. Bostre was not far from the pace with his net 73 after needing all of 103 strokes to get through the Kagman golf course.

Tom Aguon and Manny Po were tied in third and fourth place after each shot a 75, with the latter carding a gross of 94 and the former a 96.

John Matsumoto completed the Top 5 with his 77 after the 18-handicap duffer had a gross of 95.

The rest of the players in B Division, with their net scores in parenthesis, were as follows: Nestor Siruelo (78); Lewie Adams (79); Father Joe Billote (79); Greg De Torres (83); and new members David Blanco (109 gross); Ben Norita (117); Ed Cabotaje (121); and Greg Gamboa (123).

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.