Underdog Cangolf seeks Interclub ‘golden double’

BACOLOD – The alpha team in Seniors’ play, Canlubang switches role to that of underdogs in the Philippine Airlines Interclub Regular Men’s Championship but embraces this wholeheartedly as it sets out to stop the four-peat drive of Manila Southwoods and lace its own campaign here with a golden double.

Cangolf, which ruled the Seniors’ division last Sunday, pins its hopes on veteran Rupert Zaragosa and young guns led by Luis Castro and Jolo Magcalayo against the high-powered Southwoods crew led by Japanese teener Yuto Katsuragawa, Kristoffer Arevalo, Carl Corpus, and Adric Chan, who are chasing history in the annual competition.

“Being the underdogs actually takes some of the pressure off of us,” Canlubang’s swing coach Boyet Zaragosa said in Filipino.

Southwoods romped off with a 44-point triumph over Cangolf in Davao last year but the Sugar Barons feel their youngsters had gained experience and will enter the competition that begins tomorrow wiser.

“We have a great chance this year,” the elder Zaragosa said, although he admitted facing an uphill battle. “But of course, Southwoods is still the overwhelming favorite. They are a true powerhouse.”

Aside from Canlubang, Luisita, which is bannered by Eddie Bagtas, and Del Monte are also out to dethrone Southwoods in the centerpiece Championship division.

Hostilities will open at tree-lined Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club, also known as Marapara, where the final round will also be played on Sunday. In between, the field will tackle the tight Binitin course in Murcia town.

“I think that (Binitin) is where the tournament will be decided,” Boyet Zaragosa said. “You have to respect that course. It may be shorter, relatively, but the team that plays best there would most likely win this tournament.”

That proved true in the preceding Seniors’ competition, where Cangolf’s bets turned things around with a powerful performance at Binitin to lay down the foundation for their eventual victory over 2017 winner Luisita.

This year’s Interclub’s Platinum sponsors are RMN and Manila Times, while major sponsors are Mastercard, Rolls Royce, Bombardier, TV5, Primax, BusinessWorld, Crossover and Fox.

Other sponsors are Boeing, Pagcor, Belmonte Hotel, Eton Properties and Asia Brewery, Inc.