Heavy turnout at the quaint course outside of the city right in the first round of the 55th PAL Interclub forced slow play all day, leaving two flights out in the championship division.
That also left decision on the leadership hanging between defending champion Canlubang and rival CAP-Southwoods with only three men having completed play. The Sweeties had the initiative but the Southwoods squad was all set to nullify it with its top man still out.
It was the first time in memory that this prestigious golf bash was stopped on account of darkness in 55 years.
But as the drama built up at Binitin there was some comic relief on the other side of town — in Marapara — where a golfer, unaware of the rules, brought his West Coast team down to the depth of standings with staggering point deduction.
The Sweeties, bidding to nail a historic second three-peat plus a record on most wins, had 98 points on provisional result, with Abe Rosal stepping up with 35 points as Tommy Manotoc managed only 32 points and Juvic Pagunsan a 31.
Southwoods had 92 with Hanson So edging Manotoc with 33 points. Jun Jun Plana had 33 and former national champion Artemio Murakami a 26, which will probably not count.
But Angelo Que was holding a two-over par on the 17th hole against Canlubang’s Ronnie Torrecampo’s seven-over while Erwin Vinluan had eight-over-par for Southwoods against Jun Bernis’ six over.
If all four men played to par in the last two holes, Southwoods and Canlubang might end up dead even at 128 each.
"We didn’t come up with what we expected, so did they, I would imagine Southwoods would be happy with the results because we expected to be way ahead at the end of the round. Siguro masaya sila but that’s golf. Tomorrow is another course, another day and we’ll see what happens," said Canlubang team manager Luigi Yulo.
Southwoods deliberately avoided a mano-a-mano with Southwoods right in the first day, assembling a first team whose game fit well to the demands and challenges of Binitin.
"We fielded a team made up of players who are comfortable playing this course and didn’t match up with Canlubang and apparently the strategy worked. We are happy because we were able to hold on, Canlubang hoping to duplicate its strong start last year," said Southwoods manager Jeric Hechanova.
The third team in the powerhouse cast–multi-titled Luisita–wavered in the day. Anthony Fernando emerged as top scorer with 30 points while Gene Bondoc had 27 and Mhark Fernando a 26.
Over at Marapara, a man kept ramming it in for 13 holes unaware of the pick-up rule when putting for a double-bogey and by the time Raul Riego has amassed 26 points in team penalty for Heritage. From a close fourth in the Friendship division at 63, Heritage went down to eighth with only 37 points.
Forest Hills braced for a big fight against Manila Golf Club, Cebu and Wack Wack in the Founders class as it put up 115 points behind the 31s of Jong Laput and Ronald Littua, the 27 of Teboy Javier and the 26 of Levi Marcelino.
MGC had 113 with Alex Prieto firing 31 points. He was backed by Manny Chan and former PSC commissioner Ritchie Garcia with 29 and O.V. Espiritu with 24.
Cebu was third in the division with 107. Scorers for the team were Eric Deen (29), Andrew Borromeo (28), Daizo Kobayashi (26) and Marko Sarmiento (24).
A close fight loomed in the Founders division among MGC, Rancho Palos Verdes, host Negros, Alabang and Bacolod at the Marapara layout.
Rancho Palos Verdes, which will host next year’s Interclub in Davao, unravelled balanced scoring with three 27s through Alfonso Marcelo, Anton Perrazini and Mark Lopez while Willy De Leon added a 24.
The Davao team had 105, two points ahead of host Negros which leaned on the 28 of Jimmy Yusay, the 27 of Silay Mayor Carlo Gamban and the 24s of Michael Bantug and Vincent Locsin.
Pico Ching top-scored for Alabang with 29 points followed by Luigi Tabuena (26), Alfredo Velayo (24) and Raymundo Escuardo ( 22) while Bacolod pooled in a 99 with Jimmy Montalbo’s 28, Paolo Rojas’ 26, Miguel Torre’s 23 and Ponso Ongsuco’s 22.
In the Friendship division, former South Cotabato Governor Larry De Pedro led his team in scoring with 22 points, the same output of Fernando Figueroa, while Paul Dacudao had 19 and Congressman Arthur Pingoy.
South Cotabato had 76 to lead by five points over West Coast-based Crystal Springs which had 71 behind Josefino Villanueva’s 26 and the 15 of Nick Gava, 16 of Paul Cusing and 14 of Vince Espino. Running third in the division was Mabuhay with 66 points.
GOLF NOTES: The PAL Interclub has as major sponsors Fortune Tobacco, Boeing International, Radio Mindanao Network/ E! Television, Airbus Industrie, National Broadcasting, ABS-CBN, Premier Wine & Spirits and Smart Communications. The corporate sponsors are PLDT, Tanduay, Asia Brewery, 96.3 Wrock, Pagcor, UMBN, Century Park Hotel, DWWW, 105.1 Crossover, GE Aircraft Engines, Taylor Made Adidas and Stop Over Travel & Lifestyle Magazine/ Wings Pacific Publishing.