MAN OF GOLF — Vic de Guzman’s `second coming’ is a blessing to Summit Point
‘Even if I try to ride on that vision, I just could not understand. I just had to trust my gut, my instincts that there’s something there.’
photograph courtesy of Vic de Guzman VIC de Guzman’s hands-on, unorthodox style may be what Summit Point needs all along.
On the day Robert John Sobrepeña flew in on a helicopter to conduct an ocular on what would become Manila Southwoods, Vic de Guzman was there beside him.
After all, he was the magnate's No. 2 guy.
"My ID card number in Fil-Estate Golf and Development Inc. was 002," De Guzman told the DAILY TRIBUNE.
"It's because Mr. Sobrepeña was the 001."
The well-known developer was envisioning an upscale residential and commercial community built around a 36-hole golf course to be designed by Jack Nicklaus.
But all De Guzman could see was a vast tract of land in a remote part of Carmona, Cavite. Planted with coconut trees and sugar cane.
"That vision of his, I honestly had my doubts — No. 1, I am sure it's going to be very expensive. No. 2, Jack Nicklaus?" De Guzman recalled.
Can't blame him. He was hearing information that, back in early 1990s, was too remote and was simply never heard of.
"Even if I try to ride on that vision, I just could not understand. I just had to trust my gut, my instincts that there's something there," De Guzman added.
"That's actually one of the realizations that I now use when I talk to my employers. That whenever you ride a car or a plane or any vehicle going to a particular journey, you just have to trust the captain. Trust the driver to take you to that destination."
Well, it's easy for him to say because he would always have a fallback — being a University of the Philippines graduate.
"If everything fails, I could always find work," he said, half-jokingly.
All-around GUY
De Guzman would spend the next 14 years with Fil-Estate as their "All-around Guy" and help the firm develop other golf courses even as they work on Southwoods.