Gustavo Turull and Manuel Gonzalez took absolute victory at the 2026 PQ Invitational golf tournament held at La Romana Country Club in Casa de Campo.
The 22nd edition of the invitation-only event brought together 148 competitors in golf and padel, combining competitive play with a longstanding charitable mission on the southeastern coast of the Dominican Republic.
Organized by the Palos Quitao Association, known as PQ, the tournament preserved the private atmosphere and personal ties that have characterized the gathering since its inception. Twenty-two editions after its debut, organizers noted that the tournament's greatest achievement extends beyond athletic scores to uniting a community through fellowship and social commitment.
Addressing participants at the start of the event, Miguel Roig, the president of the PQ Association, emphasized that the true significance of the Invitational rests in what it has built around athletics and in its capacity to sustain a purpose that gains meaning over the years.
Roig said that the most valuable aspect of the event's trajectory across more than two decades was not simply preserving a tradition, but knowing that each gathering could translate into concrete opportunities for other people. He added that while athletics brings the group together, the core identity established around the tournament gives it genuine purpose and commits the organization to keep going.
Tournament Winners and Category Results
In the main golf competition, Turull and Gonzalez captured the gross title as absolute tournament winners after topping the field in the two-person scramble. Their performance placed them at the head of a competitive roster competing across the private fairways of La Romana Country Club.
In the senior category, Juan Ramos and Miguel Barbero secured first place. Leonardo Vargas and Andres Aybar followed in second position, while Papo Blanco and Luis Sanabia took third place to complete the division podium.
Competition in the net division proved equally close, with Christian Farach and Guillermo Roig taking the top spot on the leaderboard. Pedro Pablo Cabrera Hache and Gamal Hache finished in second place, while Julio Zeller and Juan F. Mayol earned third place.
In tournament golf, gross scores reflect the total number of strokes played without adjustments, establishing the absolute champions of the competition. Net scoring applies handicap adjustments to level the playing field between competitors of varying experience, allowing a broader cross-section of amateur players to contend for honors.
Charitable Donations and Social Mission
Beyond the athletic leaderboards, the PQ Invitational has developed an active social mission that forms an integral part of its institutional identity. A renewal within the Palos Quitao organization, led by the sons of its original members, marked a distinct era for the gathering by using solidarity to expand its reach beyond the golf course.
Since that generational transition began, the newer leadership has helped direct more than 15 million Dominican pesos in donations toward various social causes. Organizers stressed that this substantial financial contribution demonstrates how sustaining a shared tradition can produce meaningful, tangible opportunities for others.
The 2026 edition of the tournament was dedicated to Jose Antonio Caro Ginebra. The special recognition honored the shared history and personal bonds that remain central to the culture of the PQ association.
The dedication of sporting events to prominent patrons or longtime supporters is a common practice in regional athletic traditions, serving to preserve institutional memory and reinforce multi-generational relationships among participating families.
Weekend Schedule and Competition Formats
The program of activities opened on Friday, October 16, with a welcome cocktail dinner. During the evening gathering, organizers distributed player gift kits in an informal setting that allowed participants to reconnect ahead of the competitive weekend.
The schedule resumed early on Saturday morning with participant registration and breakfast. The golf competition officially got underway at 8:00 a.m. under the technical direction of Raul Cendoya.
Golfers competed in pairs under a scramble format, a collaborative style of match play where both teammates strike tee shots, choose the preferred ball position, and play their subsequent shots from that selected spot until completing the hole. The format encourages team strategy and shot coordination while ensuring steady progress across 18 holes.
Alongside the golf tournament, organizers held concurrent sporting events across the club grounds. A dedicated padel tournament brought pairs onto the enclosed courts, while other attendees took part in the PQ Wellness Morning, an organized physical fitness and lifestyle session designed to complement the weekend's sports offerings.
Padel is a fast-paced racket sport played in doubles within an enclosed court roughly one-third the size of a standard tennis court. Combining elements of tennis and squash, the sport uses solid racquets and low-compression balls that remain in play after hitting the surrounding glass walls, making it widely popular across private clubs in the region.
La Romana Country Club and Resort Setting
La Romana Country Club serves as a private centerpiece within Casa de Campo, the expansive 7,000-acre residential and resort estate located in La Romana along the southeastern Caribbean coast of the Dominican Republic. Established in the 1970s, Casa de Campo has long been regarded as one of the Caribbean's premier destinations for golf, maritime recreation, and private sporting events.
The private golf facilities at La Romana Country Club feature an exclusive championship course designed for club members and invited guests. Its secluded parkland layout, framed by tropical vegetation and private residences, offers a private environment suited for invitation-only corporate and charity events where privacy and social interaction take precedence.
Awards Ceremony and Program Conclusion
The sporting day concluded with an afternoon luncheon and the formal awards ceremony. During the presentation, trophies for athletic performance shared the stage with extended social conversations and the fellowship that have made the PQ Invitational an eagerly anticipated annual date for its participants.
With the 22nd tournament concluded, the Palos Quitao Association reaffirmed its goal of preserving the tournament's dual focus on friendly athletic competition and charitable contributions, ensuring that future editions continue to benefit community causes across the Dominican Republic.
