(Editor's note: Click on the thumbnails below for better viewing! More pictures are posted at the end of the article. Photos of the winners below courtesy of  Irvin Sevilla. All thumbnail photos are courtesy of Romi Beza.)

Dumancas, Panlasigue Win 2010 Kick-Off Tourney

March 20, 2010 -- Monching Dumancas  scored an impressive even par 72 to ran away with the Flight "A" bragging rights at the maiden 2010 tournament held today at Oakland's Metropolitan Golf Links. Monching conquered the golf course by playing steady par golf on all but three holes. His eagle on the par 5 17th hole put him 2-under for the back nine to even up the 2-over score he had in the front nine, which was courtesy of two bogeys on the par 3 holes. A distant second was Irvin Sevilla, whose net 69 score was 8 strokes higher than Monching's.

In the "B" division, Bobby Panlasigue likewise pulled away with a 7-stroke margin over second placer Romi Beza. Bobby scored a remarkable gross 84 to score a net 7-under par 65 to Romi's net 72. Bobby had a birdie on hole # 8 along with seven pars to highlight his round. The "B" winners Romi (L) and Bobby (R) are shown in the picture avove flanking Irvin (with arms crossed) and Monching at the clubhouse after receiving the envelopes containing their cash/gift certificate prizes.

A small but spirited group of 17 alumni showed up for the year's kick-off golf tournament. Tournament organizer Orly Mayor was on hand to greet the golfers but could not play due to an injury. Fortunately, the able Arnie Mercado stepped in to handle the end-of-round score tally. The golfers teed-off at 11a and had to contend with the usual windy afternoon conditions that is the defense of the links-style golf course. The greens were slick, too, and made or broke many scorecards. Otherwise, the golfers who could drive long had a pretty good time with the course's wide open lay-out. As a sidebar, the 5 1/2 hour round became bearable because the golfers had time to monitor the Saint Mary's College Gaels' upset win over #2 seed Villanova. The Gaels are now in the NCAA Sweet Sixteen for the first time in modern NCAA history. Three golfers -- Tony Colmenares, Orly Mayor and Arnie Mercado -- are SMC alumni while three others -- Romi Beza, Jun Magbitang and Clement Yu -- have sons/daughter currently enrolled at the tight-knit Christian Brother campus in Moraga. Go Gaels!

The complete net scores:

Flight A

69 Irvin Sevilla 

71 Manny Noguera

72 Mike Manalo

74 Jose Flores

79 Ron Riego de Dios

80 Arnie Mercado

97 Jules Rivera

Flight B

72 Romi Beza

74 Bill Gardner

75 Tony Colmenares

76 Joji Mercado

      Rico Medina 

81 Clement Yu

82 Jun Magbitang

87 Dino Africa