By Peter Atencio
Incumbent golf president Martin Lorenzo will focus on the development young and aspiring golfers after he got a fresh two-year mandate as chief of the National Golf Association of the Philippines during its election for board members and officers on Friday.
“I’m looking forward to working again. And there’s a lot of things to do,” said Lorenzo, after a yearlong-delayed polls finally pushed through at the Enrique Zobel ballroom of the Alabang Country Club.
Lorenzo regained his post with the NGAP after getting 78 votes, during the proceedings held earlier in the day for board members.
He retained his position after a polls were held for an 11-member board, which met later in the morning, separately, to hold another election for officers.
Plans of former Pampanga Rep. Mikey Arroyo to become part of the board did not materialize after he garnered only 27 votes.
Proxy votes that number around 46 reportedly came from those supporting him were not included, because signed documents were not submitted in a proper format.
Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas president Al Panlilio, who got 77 points, was named chairman this time around, after previously holding the job of vice president.
Panlilio replaced businessman-sportsman Aurelio Montinola III, who retired.
Golf officials said the polls were delayed by more than a year, after top NGAP executives discussed a proposal to extend the term of office of an official from two to four years, following consultations with an executive of the International Olympic Committee.
Lean Farrales-Carmona is now the treasurer, while Jose Antonio Angeles became the auditor.
Bones Floro was reappointed and retained his post as secretary-general.
Under Lorenzo’s term, Philippine golf saw a rise of a young group of talented players, mostly from the youth and women sectors in the last four years, as the country emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Young golfers like LPGA star Bianca Pagdanganan, young hotshot Rianne Malixi and Asian Tour Order of Merit runner-up Miguel Tabuena rose and excelled internationally.
Junior golf falls under a program called Jungolf, and that’s currently managed and led by Arroyo.
“Mikey Arroyo is in jungolf which is the grassroots and core of the golf. There just so much to do,” added Lorenzo.
And Lorenzo said he will gladly work with him, to improve the grassroots activities of Jungolf.
“It’s one of our first priorities to develop Jungolf,” added Lorenzo.
The NGAP chief also said that he will settle issues with the association’s handicapping system for golfers.
The handicapping system was handled in the past by Silicon Computer and Telecoms Inc., and the NGAP had past arrears with them.
The NGAP held its polls with Atty. Avelino Sumagui as chairman of the NOMELEC.
Lorenzo added that developing champions is also part of his priority. “And No. 3 (priority) is to develop more champions for the future. Golf has gotten so big that there’s a lot of work to do no