Canlubang, Luisita brace for PAL golf seniors duel

BACOLOD City , Philippines  – Reigning champion Canlubang came through with 137 points yesterday and set the stage for an exciting final-round battle with Luisita for the seniors crown of this year’s PAL Interclub.

For the second straight day, Dave Hernandez carried the fight for Canlubang with 48 points. Luigi Yulo had a 45 and Tony Olives a 44 for the Sugar Barons’ 137 that left them with a very good chance.

Canlubang has won the last four titles and another win will push them closer to Luisita’s record streak as champion from 2000 to 2005.

Luisita started the day six points ahead of Canlubang but could do no better than 133 on Lino Magpantay’s 46, Minieng Maravilla’s 44 and Pepot Inigo’s 43, and with a 408 total remained two up on Canlubang.

Now comes the hard part.

“They gained on us but we remained two up. It’s going to be a very good fight,” said Luisita’s main man, Ritchie Garcia, who looked forward to a heavy shootout between the two teams at the Marapara.

The way Mararapa is playing – dry, windy and very unpredictable – a two-stroke lead could mean nothing. But it could also mean everything for Luisita, a 13-time seniors champion but never a winner since 2005.

“It’s been a while since we last won the title,” said Garcia, who will be at the forefront of today’s Luisita lineup. He had 50 points at Binitin the other day, and another solid round could give him the individual title.

But he said it’s the team title that really matters.

“That’s what’s important to us, and not the individual title,” said Garcia, hoping to hit his best shots today and that his teammates, Bong Sison, Minieng Maravilla and Francis Gaston, do the same under the tough conditions.

Garcia must have slept last night with his fingers crossed that Luisita holds on until the end. Last year, the Luisitans led Canlubang by 18 points after the first round and a couple more into the last only to fold up and finish second.

“We’re happy with this lead because with a bigger lead sometimes there’s a tendency for the players to be overconfident,” said Garcia, also happy that for the final round it will be two players each from the two contenders in a flight.

For the final round, Tommy Manotoc will be at the helm of the Canlubang team and will have to count on Mari Hechanova, Bing Bunye and Rolly Viray in their bid to win the title and all the bragging rights this year.

Manotoc, a senior still capable of giving the younger players a run for the money, had 45 points (nine-over-par) when he played Marapara in the first round, and should do better than that if he wants to lift his team.

He has given up his chances of winning his fourth individual crown by opting to play twice at Marapara, not in top shape and making lives very difficult for the players on the field. To win the individual title, a player must play both courses.

Still, he can’t help but look forward to today’s shootout.

“It’s anybody’s game,” he said, “even if they (Luisita) have the advantage because they’re younger and have local knowledge (of the course). We just have to play well.”

In the Founders division, Orchard will go into the final round with a 388 total and a two-point lead over Eagle Ridge. Camp John Hay is next at 383, tied with Alabang.

The Apo squad is ahead in the Sportswriters division with a 367 total, followed by Bacolod’s 361, Villamor’s 357 and Alta Vista’s 350. In the Friendship division, the Travellers SFO is ahead at 273, followed closely by Saranggani at 270

The event is presented by platinum sponsors Airbus, Boeing, 105.1 Crossover and Radio Mindanao Network. Major sponsors are Action Asia, GE Aviation, MTV Philippines, People Asia and Royal Caribbean.

The corporate backers are Business Mirror, Philippine Graphic, www.philstar.com, Sabre Airline Solutions/Sabre Travel Network and Resort World Manila. Century Park Hotel, DWWW 774 AM, Panay News, Master Card and Thales Aerospace are minor patrons.

Championship-Luisita 408 (129-146-133), Canlubang 406 (129-140-137), Forest Hills 313 (104-108-101), South Bay 281 (Golf 88-98-95), Fil-Oz Sydney 267 (86-94-87) Mercedes 262 (85-82-95), Mabuhay Las Vegas 229 (93-66-70), Taotaomuna 224 (70-80-74), Luzviminda 221 (93-81-47), Pittsburg 206 (68-63-75), Moffet 198 (77-57-64);

Founders- Orchard 388 (136-125-127), Eagle Ridge 386 (132-131-123), Camp John Hay 383 (126-123-134), Alabang 383 (130-125-128), Valley 380 (126-139-115), Manila Golf 378 (127-130-121), Wack Wack 377 (122-135-120), Mactan 373 (124-127-122), Negros 368 (124-115-129), Team LA 360 (121-119-120), Del Monte 358 (128-114-116), Cebu Country Club 352 (121-113-118), Chamorro 338 (108-116-114), Camp Aguinaldo 317 (108-96-113), Ang Tay 279 (93-93-93), Guam Seals 267 (95-80-92);

Sportswriters-Apo 367 (118-128-121), Bacolod 361 (110-120-131), Villamor 357 (120-116-121), Alta Vista 350 (116-113-121), Palos Verdes 350 (116-115-119), Fil-Am Hawaii 349 (112-102-135), Philippine Navy 345 (123-107-115), Riviera 344 (116-118-110), Veterans 335 (107-118-110), Manila Southwoods 334 (100-116-118), Maharlika 331 (111-109-111), Iligan 327 (114-99-114), Texas 320 (98-100-122), Evangelista 317 (99-110-108), Pueblo de Oro 312 (104-112-96), Lanang 309 (109-100-100), Iloilo 303 (106-93-104), Vancouver ABC 302 (87-102-113), Sienna Plantation 302 (102-97-103), Mabuhay SFO 301 (95-93-113), PGA British Columbia 300 (99-103-98), Intramuros 296 (90-105-101), Zamboanga 295 (93-96-106), Davao City 295 (86-114-95), Baguio 293 (87-96-110), Bay Area 290 (74-116-100), UP Tee Jots 280 (98-100-82), Fil-Am SFO 271 (107-100-64), Fort Bonifacio 266 (79-103-84), Brookside 262 (94-76-92), Lumbia 254 (71-83-100), San Juanico 252 (89-68-95), Florida 249 (77-75-97), San Diego 243 (83-94-66), SFO Peninsula 227 (73-81-73), Leyte 210 (73-72-65), Bennet Valley 197 (70-79-48), Par Breakers YVR 191 (58-74-59), Fil-Am New Jersey 179 (51-67-61), Skywest 162 (70-46-46); 

Friendship-Travellers SFO 273 (90-86-97), Saranggani 270 (89-85-96), Filcansa 270 (96-81-93), SFO Alliance 264 (82-110-72), South Cotabato 255 (87-76-92), Crystal Spring 251 (83-88-80), Guinhalaran 250 (81-85-84), Viva Las Vegas 247 (79-83-85), Mt. Malindang 243 (90-74-79), Pinoy Vancouver 235 (76-77-82), Cotabato 228 (52-80-96), Brotherhood Sharp 224 (75-69-80), Guam Seniors 208 (68-59-81)