Del Rosario-Pareja leads at Orchard

Former Mayor Munding del Rosario and Alfredo Pareja combined for a 16-under-par net score of 88 points Friday to emerge the team to beat in the Orchard Founders Invitational, the member-guest event of the Orchard Golf and Country Club in Dasmariñas, Cavite.

But the day belonged to Willy Roldan, guest partner of Las Piñas Vice Mayor Henry Medina, who aced the 165-yard 11th hole of the Player course and stands to win a BMW 116i AT worth almost P2 million.

Performance Auto/BMW Cebu is a major sponsor of the event which also includes Ford Alabang/Cavite, Coca-Cola Bottlers Phils., Davies Technical Solutions, Mizuno and Philippine Airlines. Banco De Oro, Globe Telecom, Pagcor, The Turf Company, Security Bank, Sta. Lucia Realty, Pagcor and Philippine Ports Authority are premium sponsors.

Perfect playing conditions at the Palmer course helped the 12-handicapper del Rosario-Pareja pair (handicap 13) achieve the front running output as the former turned in 42 points and the former a day-best 46.

At the completion of the first round for the record-breaking field of 800 players, del Rosario-Pareja team was three points ahead of the defending champion team of Chito Servida-Roberto Rosales.

They will play the Player course this weekend with the format shifting from aggregate to best-ball.

Roldan, a member of Alabang who used a Wilson Staff 6-iron and Titleist Pro-V1 ball, will drive home the BMW car if no one else scores a hole-in-one on the eight designated holes of both courses.

Under the rules, the prize will be shared if more than one player hits an ace.

Two other lucky ticket holders will drive home a BMW 318i and a BMW 116i which will be given away as part of the Orchard grand raffle tonight.

Hole sponsors of the 12th edition of the Orchard Founders Invitational include Royal Carribean International.

/Baron Travel, Pacsports Phils., Inc.,C-Lium Fibre, Arch. Nelson M. Montealegre, Asian Hospital, Beneficial PHB Life, Bitmap Enterprises, Chinatrust Commercial Bank Corp, Commerciantes Internacionales Inc., EM Research Philippines, Inc., Emeritus Security & Maintenance System, EZ-GO, First Tee, Gainers Marketing Corporation, GG&A Club Shares, Harbor Star Shipping Services Inc., International Heavy Equipment Corporation, Information Professional, Inc (IPI), Joseph Server & Associates, Nishino Leather Industry Inc., OSIM Phils. Inc., Pamplona Realty, Perry’s Group, Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corporation, Promise Land Trading, Rams House of Wine Inc., Rajers General Services, Record Safe Keeping, Roam Builders General Contractor, SAP Build Enterprise, SLB Trading & Pump Specialists, The Great Depot and Vice Mayor Henry Medina.