‘El Duque’ and friends win at Miami Lakes Golf Club

Sports Staff report Wednesday, April 5, 2023

     Orlando Hernandez is a four-time World Series champion, and a past MVP of the American League Championship Series. And he’s still winning titles.

    “El Duque,” as he was known during his days as a star pitcher for the New York Yankees, is now the club champion at Miami Lakes Golf Club. He shot rounds of 75 and 81 to finish at 12-over par 156 and win the championship flight by four shots at the tournament that was held on March 11 and 12.

     The 57-year-old Hernandez pitched primarily for the New York Yankees in his Major League Baseball career, and had shorter stints with the New York Mets, Arizona Diamondbacks and Chicago White Sox.  

     He went 90-65 in nine seasons, helping the Yankees win World Series titles in 1998, 1999 and 2000, then getting his fourth and final championship ring as part of the White Sox in 2005.  

     Hernandez and his half-brother, former then-Florida Marlins star Livan Hernandez -- part of the Marlins’ 1997 World Series championship team -- began getting serious about golf after their playing days ended. They have played in tournaments together and Orlando Hernandez continues to play in many celebrity golf events.

     Other club champions at Miami Lakes Golf Club in this year’s tournament were Rick Toste in the 1st Flight (76-84-160), James Rivera in the 2nd Flight (78-88-166), Gregory Betancourt in the 3rd Flight (83-90-173), Luis Estrada in the Senior 1st Flight (73-84-157), and Tony Asencio in the Senior 2nd Flight (91-89-180).

     Miami Lakes Golf Club 2023 Champion Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez. Photo courtesy of the club.

     Shown in the second photo, taken by Kenny Fill, director of golf at the club, are from left Greg Betancourt; James Rivera; Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez; Luis Estrada; Tony Asencio and Rick Toste.