One for Chairman Kap

A golf tournament of the ages is what Lucio (Bong) Tan, Jr. has in mind to mark not only the 160th anniversary of Tanduay Distillers as a salute to his father but also to celebrate his mother Carmen’s birthday at the Wack Wack Golf and Country Club on April 4. It’s a fitting tribute that the proud son is organizing for Lucio, Sr., the man called Kapitan, who has kept the winning tradition of the Tanduay brand as a market leader since acquiring the rum from the Elizalde family in 1988.

Bong has tapped his golf buddy Gerard Cantada, one of the country’s winningest amateur parbusters ever and now a pro, to organize the invitational tournament to be played on Wack Wack’s west course over two shotgun starts at 6 a.m. and 12 noon. Cantada, 36, said it’s the most prestigious event he’s handled and he’s excited to make it an unforgettable whole-day celebration.

Invitations are being given out to 288 players whose age range is 15 (Michael Tan’s son) to 105 (Kapitan’s “balae” Luy Kim Guan). Kapitan himself will play. Bong said his father plays golf at 5 a.m. every day, from Monday to Sunday, at Wack Wack so he’s in shape to swing away.  Competition will be split into five categories, Class A, Class B, Class C, ladies and seniors. Prizes will be awarded to winners from the LT (Lucio Tan) group of companies and other guests.

Cantada said invitations are on the way to friends, allies and business associates from different parts of the world, including the US, China, Singapore, Japan, Australia and Guam. “Everyone wants to participate,” said Cantada. “This is the first time we’re holding a tournament of this kind and it may be the start of a yearly tradition. The response is overwhelming.”

* * * *

Marking 160 years is a milestone and the number is significant, too, because Tanduay has garnered at least 160 international awards for its different products. For years, Tanduay has been recognized as the world’s No. 1 dark rum. Bong said the event toasts not only his father but also his mother.

Cantada said the tournament will feature the system 360 format which rewards birdies and penalizes triple bogeys. Under the system, every birdie is -1 and every triple bogey a +1 so the more birdies, the better.

“We’re mobilizing around 20 staff to run the event,” said Cantada. “I’ve been organizing a lot of golf events from junior to corporate golf tournaments but this is special because it’s the first time I’m doing a corporate event for one of my closest friends, Bong.” It was Bong who thought of calling the tournament “Chairman Kap.”

Cantada said 160 raffle prizes will be given away with the loot to include a 65-inch TV, i-phones, i-pads and other gadgets and appliances. Four vehicles will be on standby to be given to the first to knock down an ace in the four par-3 holes. One vehicle is a Ford Pajero and another is either a Ford Mustang or Explorer. Two more vehicles will be waiting in the wings.

* * * *

“Everybody is going home a winner,” said Cantada. “As soon as you register, you get a gift pack consisting of a J. Lindeberg golf shirt, cap, umbrella and others. Then, when you attend the awards night at 6 p.m. in the Pavilion Hall of Wack Wack, you get more giveaways.”

Kapitan will do the ceremonial tee-off. Bong said he’ll definitely play even if he’s out of practice. He usually reserves Tuesday as his golf day but his schedule has been crammed with work commitments lately. Bong said he misses playing basketball, too, and there’s no exercise like running and jumping in a whole-court game.  At least, he puts in a few hours of swimming three days a week. Still, Bong said he’d rather play basketball and golf.

Bong said April 4 will be “a day of fun to mark another milestone and to honor the man who captained us to one success after another as well as all the people who help steer Tanduay to international recognition.” He said the Filipino’s “bayanihan” spirit is what the Tanduay tradition is all about. “After a hard day’s work that includes helping a friend or neighbour to a completion of a big task, Filipinos love to sit down and share a bottle or two,” he said. “On this special day, Tanduay invites partners and friends in industry to a fun round of golf and later, a big toast or ‘tagay’ to the Captain. We are playing golf and having a whole lot of fun. That is how we, in Tanduay, celebrate 160 years of hard work and success.”