Chiongbian: A story of two golfing brothers

EXTRA! Extra! Read all about it! I’m sure you already know there’s a taxi service that is exclusively for travelers at the Mactan airport. These taxis are yellow and they charge more than regular taxis because their franchise is limited to use to/from the airport. These yellow cabs are compact models so their baggage/trunk is somewhat small. People who travel usually have luggage and some, like me, travel with golf clubs, so it’s nice that we have an airport taxi that we do not have to haggle about.

I used the yellow cab last January when I arrived from America and it was okay because it accommodated two of our midsized luggage and a hand carry. Then I went to Beijing last March and when I took the yellow cab at the airport, I was shocked to learn that the trunk space has been reduced to take only one midsized luggage and one hand carry. The driver revealed that the owners of the yellow cabs decided to convert to LPG so the LPG tank has taken the space of the spare tire and is now inside the trunk.

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I know Tourism Sec. Ace Durano has been working hard for tourism and the Lapu-Lapu City hall and the business sector have been trying to make Mactan Island a tourist/sports destination.

Do they expect tourists to travel light since a golf bag and a small suitcase will not fit in the trunk of the yellow cab!

BROTHERS’ TALE. Anyway, let me tell you a little tale about two golfing brothers in America. Their fathers taught them golf at a very young age, both drilling their boys daily on golfing lessons. One father gave instructions like a drill sergeant and that translated to full discipline during practice. The other gave a drill the fatherly way, asking his boy to face him and mimic his swing and that resulted in the boy swinging lefty even though he’s right-handed. After graduating from high school, one got a golf scholarship in Stanford University and the other a golf scholarship at Arizona State University.

Both golfing brothers won the US Amateur championships on separate occasions and both won in the US PGA Tour while they were still amateurs and took the trophy instead of the prize money. The two golfers dominate the golf ranking as world No. 1 and No. 2. You must now know who I am talking about.

The two golfing brothers got married to blondes and now have young children. Late last year, one had a problem with his wife who was diagnosed with cancer and he was so devastated he decided to stop playing golf to be with his wife. Not that much later, the other also faced a problem with his wife but because of his infidelity. The news was so devastating that he decided to stop playing golf, stayed away from his wife and licked his wounds. The US PGA Tour and the public were sorely affected by their absence and since been eagerly waiting for their return to bring back the fame in golf.

Then last week the Masters, most prestigious golf tournament in the world, came and for the first time the two golfing brothers were back together again. Both ready and going for the win! One to regain his status in golf and the reaffirmation of love from the public, while the other to enjoy his love for golf and confirmation of his love for his wife.

World No. 1 finished fourth and got his affirmation from the public with much praise and applause, without tears. World No. 2 won the Masters and in front of everyone’s eyes, by the 18th green, showed confirmation of his love and devotion to his wife with a tight hug and compelling tears.

That’s the story of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. While everyone was talking and writing a lot about Tiger, my man, Phil, quietly and without much ado, raised both arms after sinking the winning putt. And as I have often mentioned in my column, I am and will always be a Phil Mikhelson fan for many reasons, and that started when he was still at student at ASU. Way to go Phil!

(erchiongbian@gmail.com)