Canlubang: It's the sweetest thing

DAVAO CITY, Philippines – On a hot and humid Sunday, Canlubang pulled off a come-from-behind victory that will long be remembered in the Philippine Airlines Interclub senior golf championship.

Canlubang faced a 12-point deficit against rival Luisita at the start of the day, and there was little hope that the Sugar Barons, 16 points down after two rounds, could keep the title.

But they did.

“This is the sweetest,” said Canlubang patron Luigi Yulo after the Sugar Barons scored 144 points for a 571 total and a three-point win over Luisita at the demanding Apo Golf.

Tommy Manotoc shone brightest with 53 points for Canlubang which also drew 46 from Tony Olives and 45 from Rolly Viray. Bing Bunye did not count with his 44.

Luisita limped home with 129 points, its lowest in four days. Their top scorer, Francis Gaston, could only match the lowest score for Canlubang (44). Others who counted were skipper Iggy Clavecilla (43) and Rudy Amata (42). Pepot Inigo had a 41.

Cebu Country Club carded 146, courtesy of Koichi Horri’s 51, Clifford Celdran’s 49 and Nonoy Tirol’s 46, and was just two points behind Luisita in the end. Matsasugu Ochiai didn’t count with his 42.

It was the sixth seniors crown in the last seven years for Canlubang in the Interclub, the oldest and most prestigious golf team tournament in the country.

The Luisitans, winners in 2010, were poised to win again, and with a 12-point lead after three rounds it seemed all they needed to do was show up for their respective tee times.

That was not the case.

“Usually when you’re ahead you tend to relax,” said Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richie Garcia, a key player for Luisita, as he headed to the clubhouse.

“You satisfy yourself by just hitting to the middle of the fairway. But you lose the aggressiveness, and before you know it your lead is gone,” he added.

“Maybe it was the pressure. But that’s golf. There are more rounds to play,” Garcia said.

The Luisitans did not only lose their aggressiveness. They lost control of their game.

“Natanggal lahat ng gulong namin (All our wheels fell off),” said Clavecilla, who had 51 the other day at Palos Verdes.

Manotoc, at 62 still showing a lot of promise, once again delivered the goods with his second straight 53, just one-over in stroke play.

Manotoc carried Canlubang on his shoulders, and almost gave up coming out of No. 14. By that time, Luisita was still ahead by two points.

“Ang init. Hirap na hirap na ako (It’s so hot. This is too tough for me),” said Manotoc, who didn’t exactly like the way he was playing then but pushed himself hard.

“I was scrambling all the time. Puro fighting spirit na lang,” said the grand slam champion coach in the Philippine Basketball Association, and now a champion golfer.

He woke up yesterday thinking all he could achieve this year was win the individual crown, so he went for it, and got it.

“I didn’t mind the team title anymore because we were 12 down. I know this is my last chance to win the individual title so I went for it. I needed a late birdie to do it. And I birdied the (par-3) 17th,” he said.

In the end, he won both.

After checking and signing his scorecard, the first thing he did was call his wife, Yvette, to deliver the good news. But it sounded too good the person at the other end of the line couldn’t believe it.

“I told her our team won and she goes, ‘Nooooh! You’re kidding!’ Then I told her I won the individual title, and she says, ‘Nooooh! You’re joking!” Manotoc told scribes.

Of course, it was no joke, because by the time he tapped in for par on the 18th, his teammates were already whooping it up outside the green.

Manotoc came up to his teammates, and slapped hands with each one of them. The Luisitans silently watched from a distance. They should’ve been the ones celebrating.

Luisita team manager Jose Romasanta, the sportsman, congratulated the Canlubang players. Then, shaking his head, he walked away. the scores

Championship: Canlubang 571 (135-145-147-144), Luisita 568 (147-149-143-129), Cebu Country Club 566 (141-141-138-146), Alta Vista 525 (130-143-132-120), Camp John Hay 513 (124-133-134-122), Orchard 506 (128-134-121-123), Pueblo De Oro 481 (116-129-116-120), Philsaga 478 (127-117-116-118), BCC 446 (102-116-112-116), Pinoy Vancouver 425 (111-105-122-87), ), Fil-Am New Jersey 357 (68-64-121-104), Filcansa 355 (92-99-69-95), Bay City 329 (74-108-63-84), Fil-Oz Sydney 316 (58-79-76-93), IAGC 304 (72-74-80-78), Samahan YVR 272 (76-65-80-51), Mercedes Plantation 258 (77-39-82-60),

 Founders: Manila Golf 524 (128-144-127-125), Apo 523 (142-117-123-141), Eagle Ridge 515 (129-136-123-127), Riviera 509 (126-132-131-120), Villamor 508 (125-126-124-133), Palos Verdes 508 (129-123-129-127), Valley 494 (115-124-135-120), Phil Navy 484 (134-122-114-124), Del Monte 483 (122-120-120-121), Camp Evangelista 480 (124-125-118-113), Negros 476 (120-117-120-119), Manila Southwoods 468 (114-118-109-127), Wack Wack 459 (114-104-116-125), Red Hawk 445 (121-127-89-108), Coral 445 (117-114-111-103), Mactan 439 (130-92-108-109), San Juanico 329 (113-123-93), Bayanihan 272 (98-86-88), Birdie Hunters 169 (81-88-DQ).