Bacolod hosts PAL Interclub

MANILA, Philippines - The PAL Interclub, long considered as the country’s s national team golf championship, returns to Bacolod next month when the 63th staging of the annual event is held Feb. 18-21 for the seniors and Feb. 24-27 for the men’s side at the Binitin and Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club courses.

The event is actually scheduled at the Pueblo de Oro in Cagayan de Oro and Del Monte in Bukidnon but organizers decided to move the venues to Bacolod due to the prevailing peace and order situation in Mindanao during the recent team captains’ meeting.

The PAL Interclub, long considered as the country’s s national team golf championship, returns to Bacolod next month when the 63th staging of the annual event is held Feb. 18-21 for the seniors and Feb. 24-27 for the men’s side at the Binitin and Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club courses.

The event is actually scheduled at the Pueblo de Oro in Cagayan de Oro and Del Monte in Bukidnon but organizers decided to move the venues to Bacolod due to the prevailing peace and order situation in Mindanao during the recent team captains’ meeting.

“We made an evaluation on the peace and order situation in the region and decided to transfer the venues to Bacolod,” said Atty. Domingo Duerme, chair of the organizing committee. “But we will definitely bring back the PAL Interclub to Cagayan de Oro and Bukidnon in the near future.”

Canlubang beat then newcomer The Country Club by nine points to rule the men’s side and complete a rare double four-peat in Davao last year that also saw the Sugar Barons rule the seniors division of the event played at the Apo Golf and Country Club and Rancho Palos Verdes.

Bacolod also hosted the 2008 edition of the event where the Sugar Barons clobbered the Manila Southwoods team with a 34-point romp to annex their third straight championship.

That makes Canlubang the team to beat again with reigning national champion Mhark Fernando and fellow national team mainstay Jhonnel Ababa expected to lead the team’s drive for five along with veterans Tommy Manotoc and Dave Hernandez.

The Country Club, on the other hand, will try to even things up minus two of its stalwarts in Ferdie Aunzo and former national champion Anthony Fernando, who both turned pros after the Interclub last year.

Left to carry the cudgels for the ICTSI-backed TCC squad are Antonio Asistio II, Rufino Bayron and Peter Villaber.