We Came. We Saw, We Played Golf

By: Maria Girlie Pascual

 

The forecast was for sunny skies with temperatures hitting the 80’s in St. Louis. It was the Labor Day weekend of 2016, and for the last twelve years with the Asian American Golfers of Illinois or AAGI, we played with other states under the Interstate Golfers Association which evolved into the Open Tournament. Last year’s outing was hosted by the Philippine-American Golfers’ Association of Kentucky or PAGAK under Dr. Jonathan Eugenio, this year’s host is the Fullswing Group under Jerome Buenaventura of St. Louis, Missouri. Next year, the AAGI league will host it in Myrtle Beach again, our favorite golf destination.

We managed to get two vans and five cars to transport clubs, players, wives and alcohol, and the four-hour drive was quite leisurely, made fun by Facebook live and selfies, along with 80’s music. We checked into the Four Points Sheraton close to St. Louis at noon, and by 1 pm, after a southern meal of fried chicken and biscuits, we were teeing off at Stonewolf Country Club. The nineteen golfers of AAGI were Ray Agbunag, Steve Cruzat, Tournament Director James Delacruz, Robert Delacruz, Dr. Lito Fernandez, Andy Justo, Treasurer Gerry Liwanag, Jessie Magsino, Jessie Manalo, Rules and Regulations Chairman Clive Merril, Joe Molina, Club President Rowel Plata, Ed Ranchero, Roy and Ellen Ruiz, Gil Sarmiento, Ching Schneider, and Izzy Tovar. The official twoday tournament started with shot gun teetimes on both Saturday and Sunday, and culminated with an awards banquet Sunday night.

The two courses proved to be daunting and difficult, and Stonewolf Run was designed by famed champion Jack Nicklaus, while the Far Oaks golf course was configured by the great Tom Fazio, who were not thinking about high handicappers and seniors when they designed these absolutely beautiful playgrounds for hoofers. First place team champions were the Fullswing players of St. Louis, Missouri who dominated with their home course advantage, PAGAK players of Kentucky came in second, while the AAGI group gracefully conceded to both teams with cheers and lots and lots of alcohol after the two-day tourney. The shining light in all of these was Dr. Angelito Fernandez’s magnificent hole in one at the more difficult Stonewolf Run, and if only for that, it made the whole trip worthwhile for us Chicagoans.

Congratulations to Team Fullswing who handily won the Ryder Cup for the men’s team, and the Solheim Cup for the women players. Please see the pictures and meet their young players and beautiful women that played their hearts out. Kudos to our Kentucky brothers who, like the AAGI men, kept their positive outlook and happy demeanor despite coming in second, and partied with us to the end! Until next year in Myrtle Beach, we salute the Open Tournament founders, the young gentlemen of West Virginia, Oscar Ibrahim, of Illinois, James Delacruz, of Kentucky, Dr. Jonathan Eugenio, and of our hosting club in Missouri, the energetic drill sergeant of their ladies team, Jerome Buenaventura.

Special thanks to our AAGI ladies, the giggling, smart and savvy women behind-the-scenes who came to share both joy and pain- First Lady Cris Plata, Virgie Magsino, Alice Sarmiento, Tess Delacruz, Lolit Ranchero, Vicki Justo, first-timer Lisa Vasich and Elvie Fernandez, who fervently prayed for Doc Lito’s hole-in-one, and got her prayer answered..you ladies are rock stars! And. finally, I want to give a special shout-out to the champion ladies of Fullswing, Dolly Buenaventura, Julie Nathanson, the young 13-year-old phenom Sofia Gamayo, Esther Flora and my idol, Simay Souvannarath who wielded both strength and grace for two days to win Low Gross for Ladies. Good job to the Fullswing Golfers, men’s A & B players with President Bryan Gabbert, Chris Impellizzeri, Cory Nathanson, John Souvannarath, young golfer and Jerome and Dolly’s only son Addy Buenaventura, karaoke singers Bobby Koh and Raja Muthukumaru, Wesley Alemond, Mark Lamoreaux and of course, Jerome.

Looking forward to next year already at Myrtle Beach everyone! For information or if you want to join AAGI, check out our website at aagiclub. com, or send us a “friend request” through Facebook, search “Aagi Club”.

The AAGI Team w St Louis Fullswing and PAGAK Kentucky players

AAGI Ladies Ellen Ruiz, Alice Sarmiento, Virgie Magsino, Ching Schneider and Lolit Ranchero.

Awards Banquet at the Sheraton ballroom hosted by Fullswing of Missouri.

Fullswing Golfers of St.Louis, Dolly Buenaventura Esther Flora Sofia Gamayo Bryan Gabbert Chris Impellizzeri Julie Nathanson Simay Souvannarath John Souvannarath Addy Buenaventura Nestor Flora Bobby Koh Raja Muthukumaru Wesley Alemond Mark Lamoureux Jerome Buenaventura Corey Nathanson.

Hole in One Winner after 50 years of golfing – AAGI’s Dr Angelito Fernandez w wife Elvie at the center, flanked by the Open Tournament founders James DC of AAGI Chicago, Jerome Buenaventura of Fullswing St. Louis and Dr. Jon Eugenio of PAGAK golfers of Kentucky.

They came to support- our AAGI ladies (L-R) Tess DelaCruz, Lisa Vasich, Elvie Fernandez.

The 201Open Tournament Contenders from AAGI Illinois, Kentucky and hosting team Fullswing of Missouri.

The Ladies Compete for the Cup- (L-R) AAGI player Ellen Ruiz, St Louis phenom Sofia and new member Ester of Fullswing, Ching Schneider of AAGI, Dolly Buenaventura of Fullswing, Marilyn Donato of Kentucky, Julie Nathanson of Fullswing and yours truly, Girlie of AAGI Chicago.; (

Fullswing Founder Jerome Buenaventura addresses the “troops” before the shotgun start.

Beautiful Day for a Competition – at Stonewolf Run in St Louis.

Chicago Vs St Louis- the Solheim Cup foursome of AAGI’s Girlie Pascual, Low Gross Champ Simay Souvannarath with Dolly Buenaventura of Fullswing and Ching Schneider, original member and past Champion of AAGI;

PAGAK team of Kentucky with Lady President Toni Ellis and her players with Dr. Jon Eugenio leading the happy bunch! 

Fullswing Winning Ladies of St. Louis, Dolly Buenaventura Sofia Gamayo Julie Nathanson Simay Souvannarath Esther Flora,