Stars on the greens

"If you watch a game, it’s fun. If you play at it, it’s recreation. If you work at it, it’s golf." – Bob Hope

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How often do you get the chance to join a golf tournament featuring top golfers of the world like Ernie Els and Vijay Singh? How would you like to spend four glorious days and nights golfing with celebrities like football great Matt le Tissier; former NBA star Jack Marin; Singaporean Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong; and former President Fidel Ramos? On top of that, you are even treated to an entertaining and enjoyable evening at the posh new Esplanade Theatres on the Bay and an educational tour of Singapore’s newest attractions. Added to these, you mingle with and are serenaded by popular musical sensation Bond, Gypsy Kings and our very own Concert Queen Pops Fernandez.

Believe it or not, I experienced all that in Singapore recently when I was invited to be part of the Caltex Cup Celebrity Challenge. Caltex gathered international sporting celebrities and Singapore’s top junior golfers to raise money for local charity and provide their junior golfers the chance to rub shoulders with sporting greats. Among the celebrities were three-time field hockey Olympic gold medalist Rechelle Hawkes; rowing world champion James Tomkins; New Zealand opera and musical theater actor Tim Beveridge; England’s football great David Hirst; Kenyan running legend and national treasure Kip Keino; American football icons Willie Lanier and Mark Rypien.

Singapore’s stars, swimmer David Lim; TV personalities James Lye and Vernetta Lopez; models Hanis Hussey and Vivien Tan; and radio personality Rod Monteiro were also cheered on by their fans.

Of the seven teams representing countries and regions, I joined Team Asia with President Fidel Ramos, Pops and other athletes and celebrities in the two-day match. And guess who won the event?

All the participants had a good time, more so, knowing that proceeds of the event would go to worthy causes.

It appears that Caltex is well on its way to taking the lead in celebrity golf tournaments by hosting this star-studded event. Congratulations are in order, especially to Caltex Asia, Middle East and Australia (AMEA) president Jock McKenzie; Caltex GM-brand Glenn Weckerlin, his super efficient staff of Ed Camacho, Chris Lonergan, Yan Wong, Ramos Schagen, Kelsen Butler, Nur Basman and Aluiah with the full coordination of the Dr. AB Monozca Foundation headed by Paul Monozca and staff Mark Tay and Fion.

Special thanks also to Marie Monozca and her Premier Golf Magazine.

Congratulations and thank you to Caltex and to all who made this memorable event possible!

Greetings

Happy birthday to our celebrators today, international model Tweetie de Leon-Gonzalez, Tree’s Company’s Monette Guevara and stage actor Cocoy Laurel.

Belated birthday greetings to columnist Deedee Siytangco, who marked her birthday yesterday.

Birthday greetings to FCCP’s Lulu Castañeda, Nikki Prieto, Juan Carlos del Rosario, Prime Events’ Olive Sy, Dr. Abelardo Lucas, March 3; Philippine STAR associate editor and PEOPLE Asia editor-in-chief Joanne Rae Ramirez, Ella Choy and Nena del Rosario, March 4; business mogul Don Jaime Zobel de Ayala, March 6.

To my loving wife Tere, a happy, happy wedding anniversary. May we have many, many more years of wedded bliss.

So, how was your week?

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For comments and inquiries, please e-mail me at: jjlitton@indanet.com