Manotoc tops NGAP elections

MANILA, Philippines - Sportsman Tommy Manotoc topped the National Golf Association of the Phils. (NGAP) biennial elections at the new Philippine Ports Authority Building in Port Area yesterday and immediately vowed to put emphasis on youth golf, including the training pool, the national team and junior golf.

Manotoc, the man at the helm of the ICTSI-Canlubang golf program, has been batting to boost youth golf since he moved out of Calatagan last year to continue his golf program with Canlubang.

“I just wanted to test the waters,” said Manotoc in his decision to run for the first time since negotiations for him to join during the term of then president Rod Feliciano bogged down. “I’m surprised by the result but I would like to think that I can make a difference in further promoting and developing RP golf.”

He drew 40 votes from the regular member clubs and led 10 others to the new NGAP board which will serve until 2012.

Also making it to the 11-man NGAP board are incumbent president and Executive Secretary Leandro Mendoza, Alabang Golf and Country Club’s Caloy Coscoluella and Jun Galindez and Valley Golf Club’s Jose Vilchez Jr., who all had 38 votes.

Calatagan/Valley Golf’s Rod Feliciano got 37 votes followed by Wack Wack’s Pablo Soon, Pueblo de Oro’s Alice Ll. Andrada (33), Danilo Pizarro of Riviera (29), Edgar Arceo of Villamor (23) and Federico Agcaoili of Baguio Country Club (22).

“It’s so hard to train golfers but somebody has to come forward to do it on a nationwide level,” said Manotoc, whose program with Cangolf has produced the likes of reigning national champion Mhark Fernando and Jhonnel Ababa, the most accomplished players in his eight-player pool. “It’s not that there’s no such program but it’s only on a piecemeal basis.”

“There is really a need to uplift the game through tapping of foreign coaches or teachers through foreign funding from the R&A,” said Manotoc, referring to one of golf world’s governing bodies, which allocates funds for such programs of its member-countries.

“Golf has been my passion and it’s the thing that I wanted to do most. Now, I can communicate with the other sectors of golf,” added the former PBA grand slam coach and also the chief architect of Cangolf’s record five-year reign at the annual PAL Men’s Interclub.

While his focus is on the national team and the training pool, Manotoc also plans to expand the jungolf program in consultation and coordination with Jungolf president Luigi Tabuena and golf patron Ricky Razon.

Under his guidance emerged the likes of the country’s top players in the ranks, including Fernando, Ababa and Jerson Balasabas and emerging jungolf stars in Rupert Saragoza and Jobim Carlos, among others.