Ortiz tops Fil-Taga February Ace tourney

In an unexpected twist, neophytes Jhun Ortiz and Jay Gatdula grabbed the limelight in last Sunday’s 2009 Fil-Taga Golfers Association February Ace of the Month Tournament at the Marianas Country Club.

Both work as maintenance crew at the Marpi golf course.

Ortiz and Gatdula used their familiarity of the course to topple the veterans, as the relatively new club members took first and second after 18 holes and established themselves forces to reckon with in the monthly event.

Ortiz, who only started joining the monthly event in October last year, shot a net score of 67 to snatch his first ever golf title. The 26-handicapper finished with a gross of 93.

As February ace winner, Ortiz earned an outright ticket for the Golfer of the Year Tournament to be played sometime in January next year.

The first ticket was taken by Mike Cruz, who won the January Ace for 2009 and in the process taking the 2008 title for Fil-Taga Golfer of the Year, his third after claiming it for the first time in 1997 and again in 2000.

Ortiz was seventh last month with a net 75.

However, Cruz was good for only 15th place with his net 82 in last Sunday’s event. The 18-handicapper carded a gross score of 100.

Gatdula was three strokes behind Ortiz with his net 70 after the 28-handicapper compiled gross of 98.

Rey Ferraz closed out with a net 72 to place third after the 16-handicapper carded a low gross of 88.

Assessing his game, Ferraz said he was on his way for a crack of the monthly plum but then he realized the players with higher handicaps came up with good gross scores, referring to Ortiz and Gatdula.

“They are regularly practicing at the MCC,” he said.

Ferraz said it was very windy at the course but he did play well.

Asked about his chances for next month, Ferraz said “you can’t really tell because golf is an interesting game, sometimes you play well and sometimes not.”

But his third place performance this time was way better than his 13th overall last month with a net 81.

A total of 26 players, including two new members, joined.

Matutino Adony, who was 10th last month with 79, finished fourth this time with his net 74, while Richard Meimban vastly improved with his 74 for fifth this month, compared to the 91 he submitted last month when he settled for 18th place.

Jojo Geva slipped to sixth with a 76 after coming in with a 72 for fourth in January.

Rounding out the Top 10 finishers were Rev. Fr. Manny Corcuera (77), Manny Po (78), and Ted Malaran (78).

The other players, with their net scores in parenthesis, were Toto Siruelo (80), Greg Gamboa (80), William Retardo (81), Jhun Calma (81), Fred Cataluna (82), Mike Cruz (82), John Matsumoto (82), Rene Batallones (83), Mando Guban (83), Leo Ganacias (85), Gil Faller (85), Joe Miranda (86), Nono Bostre (87), Dan Ganacias (88), Chiong Alsree (93), Orly De Leon (111), and Joey Alcaraz (112).