Luisita threat to Cangolf's bid for fifth

BACOLOD City, Philippines – Once again, the battle for the seniors crown in the 63rd PAL Interclub may boil down to a duel between Canlubang and Luisita.

But on the eve of the tournament, the country’s premiere golf team championship, players from both camps kept their cards close to their chest.

Very close.

“It’s anybody’s game,” said Luigi Yulo, Canlubang’s non-playing team captain in the regular side, and by his own words “just a player” in the seniors team.

Yulo bared his thoughts yesterday on the tournament where Canlubang is eyeing a fifth straight championship.

He had to look back at last year’s battle with Luisita, which zoomed to an 18-point lead in the opening round only to fall short against Canlubang’s spirited rally.

“I hope it doesn’t happen again,” he said. “Down by 18 points? Who wants to be in that position? We went into panic mode after trailing by 18 in the first round.”

And to make sure it doesn’t happen, Canlubang will once again pin its hopes on the ageless Tommy Manotoc, Dave Hernandez, Rolly Viray, Bing Bunye, team captain Tony Olives, Mari Hechanova, Dan Morales and of course, Yulo.

Manotoc, eyeing his fourth individual seniors title in five years, went out to practice yesterday afternoon when most players were probably resting in their hotels.

“This is serious,” he said as he hurried out of the Planta Hotel.

On Luisita’s side of the fence are skipper Carlo Gamban, Iggy Clavecilla, Ritchie Garcia, Francis Gaston, Herminio Maravilla, Lino Magpantay, Pepot Inigo and Bong Sison, a gritty bunch out to bring the title back to their hacienda.

The first day will be played at Marapara, the next two at Binitin and back to Marapara where this year’s seniors champion will be crowned.

Yulo thought of Manila Golf as this year’s darkhorse but had to think harder before he could come up with another team that could make a surprise run in the tournament that offers two points for bogey, three for par and so on.

“Maybe Wack Wack,” he said.

The Canlubang team owner had wrapped up the interview when he bumped into some of Luisita’s key players, Garcia, Gaston and Gamban at the lobby of the Hotel.

Gamban said the sudden change in the tournament setup, instead of Marapara-Binitin-Binitin-Marapara, has forced them to re-assess their gameplan on whom to field on a particular course.

“We would have kept it anyway because the rule is you can change your lineup 15 minutes before tee-off. We can tell you who are fielding tomorrow but we may be lying,” said Gamban.

Garcia, for his part, looked ready, as always.

“But this time, we don’t want to be leading by 18 points in the first round if we are to lose it. We’d rather be there one-up, two-down. That will be fine with us,” he said.