RAY Butch “Elvis” Gamboa, the father of automotive shows on Philippine TV, has just staged his fabled STV Golf Cup. But this time, it was with a tinge of sadness.
Elvis has remained unwell.
Thus, for the first time in eight editions of his much-awaited tournament reserved only for his select friends from the car industry, motoring media and allied sectors, Elvis wasn’t around.
He missed both the ceremonial tee shots and the awarding rites that he had both beautifully hosted the last seven straight years in his own inimitable style.
There were calls for him to postpone the event until he is fully recovered.
He refused—vehemently.
“The show must go on,” was his strict order to Jenny Bleza, Elvis’s most trusted lieutenant since STV’s Day One.
“My Dad was already in the car this morning all set to join us here,” said Wie, Elvis’s equally-handsome son during the closing ceremonies. “But his doctors stopped him at the last minute.”
Yes, Elvis may be absent, but in spirit, he was very much with us last Friday, March 15, at Silang’s Riviera.
“Although I don’t play golf anymore, I have not sold my share at Riviera so that I could have a course to hold the STV Golf for people I hold dear as long as I am able,” Elvis said to me once.
As usual, the awarding ceremony was as fun-filled as did the 18-hole round.
This is the only tournament in the world that gives three prizes simultaneously to each raffle winner.
Gerry Aquino, Jake P. Ayson and I left Riviera last. But not after we had killed Jura and Johnnie “Double Black” Black.
Danny “Sir John” Isla would have stayed with us but for another golf round the next morning with his 515 mates at Alabang Country Club.
Sir John took home Spencer Yu’s elegant BMW golf bag but Tey Sornet won Spencer’s BMW state-of-the-art mountain bike worth nearly a P100,000.
“Life is really good as the prize is an advanced birthday gift to me (March 28),” said Tey.
Before Gerry, Jake and I drifted into the night, we prayed for Elvis to be with us next year.
Without Elvis, a party can become as dry as an empty building.