Exclusive Pics: Boxers, Olympians, Baseball Stars & More
It was a knockout day at the 2012 Ruben Castillo Celebrity Golf Tournament held this week at the Via Verde Country Club in San Dimas, Calif.
A huge turnout of celebs, champions and golfers came out to join the festivities during the President’s Day holiday.
Here’s my EXCLUSIVE REPORT AND PHOTOS from the annual event where boxing champs, Olympians, baseball legends, football players, Hall of Fame jockeys, reality TV stars and more took off the boxing gloves, set aside the baseball bats and footballs to pick up their golf clubs and compete in the 18-hole tourney.
Champions, Olympic Gold Medalists and contenders taking swings on the course included host Ruben Castillo, Henry Tillman, Carlos Palomino, Paul Banke, Bobby Chacon, John Montes, Mando Muñiz (World Boxing Hall of Fame), Ruben Navarro, Joel De La Hoya (brother of Oscar De La Hoya), and more.
Legendary Jockey Laffit Pincay Jr. also took to the links and revealed his secret for staying in shape: Between holes, the famed winning jockey didn’t ride in a golf cart to travel to the next hole like everyone else, he jogged! The Kentucky Derby and Breeder’s Cup champ proved he’s still a champ off the track too.
Dodger Legend Fernando Valenzuela joined fellow Boys in Blue Bobby Castillo, Rudy Law and Jay Johnstone to lead their own teams on the fairway. Former pitcher “Babo” Castillo also showed me his pitching form as the athlete proved he can still bring the heat. Also showing off their golf skills were singer Little Willie G (Thee Midniters), NFL Kicker Efren Herrera, Calvin Sweeney, WBO’s Mark Reels, “Operation Repo’s” Lou Pizarro, the Golf Channel’s “Big Break” star Debbie Dahmer, Fox TV anchor Rick Lozano, among others. There were also ring card girls, models and the “Pros Fore Charity” gals and a prize raffle with autographed gloves and boxing belt.
After a putting contest and shotgun start, the foursomes and fivesomes (due to the overwhemling amount of entrants), the teams battled it out stroke for stroke.
During breaks in the action, the participants were treated to refreshments from the day’s sponsors and vendors including sweet treats from Jim Martinez at his popular Dancing Deer Baking Co. booth set up near Hole 1. A little sugar went a long way for the golfers teeing off under the SoCal skies.
After an afternoon on the links, an awards banquet was planned with special comedy acts and live music performances from members of War, Tower of Power, Tierra , Thee Midniters, and El Chicano.
“We’re going to have this every year!” showrunner and former world-title contender Ruben Castillo told me today. “We had an INCREDIBLE turnout. We’re already planning another event with Laffit Pincay Jr. too. And next year’s Celebrity Golf Tournament will be bigger than ever!”
And just which celebrity won this year’s tournament? The prizefighters, known for their winning ways, placed in the Top 3.
“First place was Carlos Palomino’s team, second place was Mando Muniz’s group,” the always-amiable Castillo tells me, “and we did real well too! I had Joel De La Hoya on our team and we got third place.”
Check out the photo gallery of all the fighters at the golf tournament. And see you at the fights–AND on the greens!
Photos by Michele Chong
