CCC RIDES ON PIO’S COATTAILS
Defending champion Cebu Country Club banks on Pio Neri’s impressive round to keep team afloat in PAL Interclub
Defending champion Cebu Country Club (CCC) rode on the skills of 20-year-old Julius Pierre “Pio” Neri in the first round of the 70th Philippine Airlines (PAL) Interclub regular men’s yesterday.
CCC had a spotty start in its bid to defend the Founders Division title, but Neri, a second year player for the team, stepped up to keep the team afloat. The 10-time champion CCC, which played Day 1 at the Rancho Palos Verdes Country Club accumulated 113 points good for temporary seventh place.
Neri kept CCC alive with a prolific three-under 39, spiked by four birdies and a lone bogey. Neri birdied holes No. 4, 6, 8 and 12. His bogey was in the par-4 No. 4.
CCC is 10 points away from early leader Orchard Golf and Country Club, which blasted the first day with 123 points. Wack Wack Golf and Villamor Golf were in joint second place with 120, followed by Forest Hills Golf and Country Club and Tagaytay Highlands with 117 each.
“I was recently diagnosed with MDF, a blood disorder. There’s no cure for it but you just need to have maintenance medicine. I’m OK now and I was cleared to play by my doctor just this Monday and I directly flew to Davao City,” Neri told reporters.
“I was admitted for two days, and I was not able to play for two weeks prior to this. I was happy that my performance pulled us through in the ranking,” added Neri, who’s the varsity golf team captain of Ateneo de Manila University.
Team Captain Ramontito Gar- cia added 29 points, sophomore player Ferdinand Chua scored 23, and PAL Interclub veteran Jovi Neri added 22. Ironically, one of the team’s top players and 10-time champion Marko Sarmiento struggled with 22, which did not count.
“We’re not far down from the leader, hopefully the team will give a better performance on the next rounds,” said Neri.
The CCC will have the chance to improve its ranking as they play in the second round in the second venue, the Apo Golf and Country Club. The CCC squad will field Bayani Garcia, Marc Gonzalez, Andre Borromeo, Eric Deen and Harvey Sytiongsa.
Alta Vista Golf & Country Club (AVGCC), meanwhile, was in third place after the opening round with 93 points in the Aviators Division, trailing Sherwood Hills Golf Club and Lumbia Golf & Country Club.