Southwoods guns for Interclub history in Bacolod with ‘4-Peat’

MANILA Southwoods knows exactly what it is chasing when regular Men’s Championship division action in the PAL Interclub tees off in two courses in Bacolod on March 8.

“It has never been done before, that’s why the boys are so motivated,” non-playing skipper Thirdy Escaño said as the Carmona-based parbusters gun for an unprecedented fourth straight triumph in the country’s unofficial team golf championship.

“The players have started practicing weeks before and some have even gone to Bacolod to sample the layouts,” Escaño said, knowing well that Marapara and Binitin are courses that vary very much in character compared to the layouts his young squad is used to playing.

Canlubang ang defunct Aguinaldo are the only other teams that have won this event three straight years, with Escaño part of that Agui team together with Bong Lopez and several others more than two decades ago.

And just when they had the chance to go for four, the team was suddenly disbanded.

Reedy Japanese teener Yuto Katsuragawa will spearhead Southwoods in its “Four-Peat” drive, with the former club champion planing in this week after completing academic requirements back home.

The veteran Jun Jun Plana will again be the steadying presence in the squad made up of mostly teenagers, acting the same role he had in Baguio when Southwoods completed a sweep of the Fil-Am Invitational.