By Roger B. Flores

DAVAO CITY?You?ll never expect Cleveland Cavaliers? LeBron James to complain of losing that ball after a last-second mid-court attempt, unlike Mario Panoringan, the golfing journalist from Crystal Springs in San Francisco, California.

You won?t expect David Beckham to ask himself ?Where did the ball go?? after kicking that ball between goal posts, unlike Bobby Leonor, the golfing gentleman of the old school with old school values from Apo.

You?ll never hear Roger Federer complain of where the ball went after a backhand return, unlike Domingo Duerme, the golfing dude, who is a PAL as senior vice president for Mindanao and PAL Interclub tournament committee chairman.

But like Robin Hood, every time the boys from Davao?Tony Boy Floirendo, Binggoy Montemayor and Freddie Mendoza?would either hook or slice that dimpled ball, each will yell: ?I hit my drive into the air, it flew to earth I know not where.?

Yeah, of all the sports played anywhere like basketball, football and tennis, to cite just three, it?s only in golf where losing some equipment like that white ball when it?s hit poorly into the rough, trees and lakes, is a strong possibility.

I have covered the PAL Interclub all these years and I will not be surprised if a golfer loses a pricey King Cobra driver with a clubhead as panoramic as Tiger Woods? grin.

Not only that. There?s also the possibility that a golfer would even lose his umbrella girl, for crying out loud.

Why, during the seniors championship at Apo last week, one dude from Team Brookside lost?and I?m not making this up, guys?a wallet groaning with currencies in US dollars and pesos.

Here?s Bobby Leonor: ?Sam Sabandal, a fellow Davaoe?o who now calls Los Angeles home, was on his way to the next tee when he realized his wallet was gone. Sam could not explain how.?

Uh, Bobby, how much did Sam lose?