Former PAL Country Manager Raffy Gonzales died of heart attack on Feb. 18 at his home in BF Resort, Las Piñas about a couple of weeks before the FGA Riyadh won the International Division of this year’s PAL Interclub held in Davao. The affable Gonzales who was deeply into golf during his tour of duty in Riyadh in the 1990s would have turned 63 on Apil 23.
In recognition of Gonzales’ contribution to the FGA the group under the leadership of Howard Laurente did one for Raffy last Friday at the Dirab Golf & Country Club on the outskirts of Riyadh.
The number of players — 15 in all — suggested the event was nothing more than a gathering of golf buddies out to have fun out on the course although attendance could have been better had the announcement been made well in advance. No matter the supportive spirit the FGAers are known for in events of this kind was evident.
After slogging it out for 18 holes on a sun splashed day Benjie Santuyo was the winner by countback over Noel Alipoyo after both players, with 27 and 16 handicap respectively, tied on net score of 3-under 69. Santuyo posted a gross 96 beating out Alipoyo on the tiebreak when he parred No. 18. Alipoyo, displaying his old reliable swing despite a lack of practice, bogeyed the hole.
The low gross player of the day was, true to form, 2-handicap Richard Gaas who shot a 78 (43-35). Eric Liquigan on 79 and Alex Arellano on 80 were the other single-digit players that participated.
Mar Vera Cruz, one away from joining the elite trio at 10 handicap, had a net score of 78.
Journalist-golfer Chito P. Manuel especially came down from Jeddah for the Gonzales tribute and renewed his ties with FGA friends. The father-son tandem of Ronnie and Kallaway Dawal and Rene Layug also joined the event as did the comebacking Remus Catada, Joe Vallado, Ben Bollozos and his friend Shane Philips.
Santuyo was given a prize for his victory while everyone took home a giveaway courtesy of the FGA, which raised some money during the occasion as financial assistance to the family of Raffy. The wife of Raffy, Lolita Gonzales, appreciated the gesture and thanked the group in a text message when she received the money on Wednesday.
Arellano recalled that he and Ronnie were among the original members when Raffy launched Palipad Pinoy program in 1995 to mark the start of the annual FGA participation in the Interclub. Layug also had fond memories of the man who in his way also had helped other groups in the Filipino community.
