GENERAL TRIAS, Cavite — Preparing to defend his hard-earned crown while juggling private enterprise demands, one of the country’s top mid-amateur golfers is drawing inspiration from a brand-new source. Defending men’s champion Gary Sales is eyeing history as he anchors his campaign at the National Tournament of Club Champions (NTCC) presented by Lexus.
This year’s staging of the country’s most exclusive club tournament carries a deep personal significance for Sales that completely eclipses his prior competitive drives.
The former golf professional-turned-businessman has a major family milestone keeping his competitive juices flowing heading into the 18-hole championship rounds:
[Defending Men's Champion Gary Sales] ──► Aiming for Men's Title No. 4 at Eagle Ridge │ ▼ (The Ultimate Dynamic Shift)[Wife Marienelle Enters NTCC Roster] ◄── Picked Up the Game During the Pandemic │ ▼ [Couple Races to Become First Husband & Wife Tandem to Win NTCC]
“This will be her first time,” Sales revealed on Tuesday. While his wife Marienelle enters the star-studded women’s field focusing heavily on building up tournament experience, the rare opportunity to compete alongside each other has completely revitalized Sales’ baseline tournament approach.
Securing title number four will require an uphill battle for Sales, who admitted his physical training window has taken a backseat to a heavy corporate and personal workload:
[ CURRENT CHALLENGES & PREPARATIONS ]
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[ STRATEGIC VENUE SHIFT ] [ RETAIL & RESIDENTIAL DISTRACTIONS ]
• **Representing the Hosts:** This marks the second consecutive year • **Pro Shop Commitments:** Sales operates one of the most popular
Sales will hit the links for the host club, Eagle Ridge. and highly active pro shops located at Villamor.
• **Historical Dominance:** His prior three individual championships • **Real Estate Remodeling:** High volumes of personal energy have
were secured representing the Villamor golf community. been diverted to remodeling a newly acquired house in Parañaque.
The single-round 18-hole sprint at Eagle Ridge’s notoriously unforgiving Faldo course leaves zero room for early errors, with highly decorated challengers waiting to exploit any mistakes.
| NTCC Tournament Division | Heavy Prohibitive Favorites | Primary Contenders to Watch |
| Men’s Championship Division | Gary Sales (Defending Champion) | Gab Macalaguim (Tagaytay Highlands), Basti Lorenzo (Sta. Elena), Chucho Martinez (Orchard), Manfred Guangko (Southwoods). |
| Seniors Division | Rodel Mangulabnan (Elevated to favorite status after defending champ Abe Rosal backed out) | Abe Avena (Mount Malarayat), Marvin Caparros (Wack Wack), Joseph Tambunting (Manila Southwoods). |
| Women’s Championship Division | Matet Salivio (Seasoned multi-title veteran) | Marienelle Sales (Targeting a historic Cinderella run for the family). |
“It’s going to be a very tough week,” Sales admitted, acknowledging the sheer depth of the amateur field. “There are a lot of players who can really win this thing.”
As pairings finalize for the opening tee times on the Faldo layout, the Sales family is transforming an intense sports weekend into a shared milestone. Win or lose, the couple’s concurrent run down the fairways frames a memorable chapter for the tournament—proving that for the defending champion, the best motivation isn’t just about collecting trophies, but sharing the grind with the people who matter most.