Canlubang still top PAL Interclub Srs squad
CLARK FIELD, Pampanga—Canlubang played steadily then pulled away for good when Luisita blew its bid on one hole in the final round yesterday to retain the Seniors title of the 69th edition of the Philippine Airlines Interclub golf championship at Mimosa Golf and Country Club here.
With a flimsy two-stroke lead going into the last 18 holes, the defending champions kept the Luisitans at bay behind rookie Zaldy Villa and veterans Tommy Manotoc and Rolly Viray who combined for 149 to give the Laguna squad a final winning margin of five with a 575 aggregate.
Eddie Bagtas lived up to his status as team spearhead with 54 points but he was among the three who doomed Luisita with their misadventures on the par-4 15th hole of the Mountainview course.
Bagtas four-putted the hole for a double bogey while crack rookie Jingy Tuason and veteran Minieng Maravilla all found the water guarding the green.
Tuason finished with 47 points and Pepot Iñigo counted last for Luisita with 45.
“We lost six points from that hole,” said Luisita team manager Jeric Hechanova, whose boys managed only 146 for a 570 total. “Kinapos (We fell short).”
Villa, who said he is also playing in the Regular men’s tournament this week, birdied his last two holes for 51 points while Manotoc, who parred just one of his last five holes, had 49 like Viray.
While team captain Tony Olives cited chemistry and experience by the Canlubang bets in their second straight title and their ninth overall in the last 11 years, team manager Luigi Yulo acknowledged the fact that tapping younger players will be a priority in the future.
Luisita started overhauling its lineup by fielding three rookies in the 55-year-old division and showed the way in the first two rounds before Canlubang wrested the lead with a tournament-best 150 in the third round.
Ernesto Apas of Del Monte (52-53) went on to dethrone Bagtas (50-54) as individual overall champion.
Meanwhile, Mimosa, which held the overall lead in the first two days, underscored its strong showing by winding up with the third best output of 567, just three points off Luisita.
The host club was the runaway winner in the Founders class with Cebu Country a far second with 554.
The Interclub is sponsored by People Asia, Travelife, Mareco Broadcasting Network (Crossover), Manila Broadcasting Corporation, Airbus, Business Mirror and Philippine National Bank. Other supporters are INQUIRER, Inquirer.net, Plantation Bay Report, Tanduay Distillers, Asia Brewery, Splash Corporation, RFM Corporation, Goldilocks, Eastgate Publishing Corporation, Robinsons Land, TMC, Mastercard, Hytera and Rolls-Royce.
The Final scores: CHAMPIONSHIP: Canlubang 575, Luisita 570; FOUNDERS: Mimosa 567, Cebu Country Club 554, Orchard 546, Manila Golf 517, Alta Vista 498, Pueblo de Oro, Socia Redhawks 496, Alabang 491, Lanang 436, Vancouver ABC 435, SF Maharlika 408, Greenhills West 403, Northbay Boys SF 396, SF Crystal Springs 392, Skywest GC 303, SF Peninsula GA 233; AVIATOR: Negros Occidental GCC 524, Eagle Ridge 524, Manila Southwoods 500, Navy 495, Riviera 494, Villamor 491; SPORTSWRITERS: Club 1872 Los Angeles 463, Sarangani Golf Club 460, Forest Hills 458, Fil-Am Fairfield 447; FRIENDSHIP: Bacolod GCC 414, UP Tee Jots 413, PGA British Columbia 395, South Cotabato Golf Club 391, Bay Area Golf 376, CANPHIL Golf Assoc. 376, Team Taotaomona 372, Mt. Malindang 371