Tugot, Arda to PSA Hall of Fame

Two local living legends in the game of golf — Celestino Tugot and Ben Arda — will be enshrined to the Hall of Fame during the Philippine Sportswriters Association’s Annual Awards Ceremony on Jan. 9 at the Holiday Inn-Manila Pavilion.

The stirring achievements of Tugot and Arda spawned the rise not just of Filipino golfers but Asians in the early years of the overseas tours, especially in the Asian Circuit where they both shot their way to unparalleled fame.

Tugot, now 89, survived a boat tragedy in his teens to become one of the greatest Filipino golfers of all time.

He is a six-time champion of the Philippine Open, one of Asia’s oldest professional tournaments, including a stretch of four straight victories from 1955. Aside from a rare stint in the US Masters, Tugot also went on to establish himself as a dominant power in the local circuit.

Drawing inspiration from Tugot, Arda led the next generation of golfing stars from the Philippines.

From a ball boy and a caddie at the Cebu Country Club, he turned pro years after the second World War.

It was not until the early 1960s when Arda hit it big, winning the first two of his three RP Open titles in 1961 and 1963.

Despite his shortness in height at 5-foot-5, his ability to conquer the tall men from the west earned him the monicker Bantam Ben which became more famous when he became the first Filipino to play in the British Open and the US Masters.

Arda’s capture of the Japan Open which won him $25,000 and a Datsun car remains as the biggest feat so far by a local pro in foreign land and his runner-up finish with Rudy Labares in the World Cup of Golf the country hosted at Wack Wack in 1977 remains unmatched.

Tugot, an uncle of current golfing star Frankie Miñoza, now tends to his cattle ranch in Del Monte, Bukidnon while Arda works as a teaching pro at the Alabang Country Club.

Recipients of numerous tributes and accolades, the PSA bestows them the Hall of Fame honor for paving the way to the rise of Filipino hotshots coming from the caddies ranks with the likes of Miñoza, Cassius Casas and Robert Pactolerin.