Cebu takes PAL Interclub by storm

DAVAO, Philippines  – Cebu Country Club stormed ahead with a solid 134 as Del Monte blinked in their second day shootout and the youthful Alabang squad broke down when things got tough at the Apo layout, racing to a 10-point lead over the defending champion halfway through the PAL Men’s Interclub here yesterday.

Out to accomplish what they had failed to achieve last year when they were routed by the Bukidnon-based golfers by 18 points in Cagayan de Oro, the Cebuanos banked on the solid games of Lloyd Go (36) and Gen Nagai (35) then drew a steady outing from Gio Gandionco (33), Mark Dy (30) and Eric Deen (30) to threaten to turn the 65th staging of the country’s biggest amateur golf team championship into a one-team show.

With a 257 aggregate, counting its scrambling 123 at Rancho Palos Verdes in Wednesday’s opener, Cebu Country Club posted a big cushion over a fancied Del Monte side (124-247) heading to the last 36 holes of the five-to-play, four-to-count tournament.

But no lead is safe in the Interclub, especially on these two demanding courses with Canlubang overhauling a 12-point deficit in the final round at Apo to beat Luisita and capture the seniors crown last week.

“I was disappointed yesterday (Wednesday) but today (yesterday) I am ecstatic. We more than made up for our first round mistakes,” said CCC chairman Montito Garcia, who suits up for the team today as action shifts back to the rolling Rancho Palos Verdes.

Del Monte, bannered by two of the country’s top players, hobbled all day with only Clyde Mondilla, the former national champion, able to churn out an even par card worth 36 points. Noel Langamin and Mel Cubillo struggled with a pair of 31s and Magno Arancon Jr. putting in a 26 for that 124 and a 247. Mark Mondilla’s 24 didn’t count.

Alabang Country Club failed to rekindle the fire that fueled its surprising surge of 124 in the first round as it literally groped for form and found itself tumbling down the leaderboard with a measly 104 output for a 228, 29 points adrift.

Manila Southwoods, a two-time Interclub champion, made a 109 but stood far behind at 212.

“Bad luck but we will try to play good tomorrow (today),” said Alabang skipper Arnel Paras.

The 16-year-old Go, toughened up by a series of local and international appearances, including a stint with the national team in last year’s Putra Cup, turned in an impressive 36-point performance in winter rules, equivalent to even par in stroke play, as he took charge for the club chasing a first-ever Interclub championship.

Nagai, a 15-year-old Japanese, bettered his 34-point output at Palos Verdes with a 35, closing out his stint with the club hoping to bring the coveted crown to its home when it hosts the event’s 66th staging next year.

Gandionco anchored the team’s impressive second round charge with a 33 while any of the 30s by Dy or Deen counted for the team’s output at the hazard-laden layout.

Montito Garcia joins the four other players who saw action in the first round at Palos Verdes, including Carl Almario, Bayani Garcia, Joven Neri and Mark Sarmiento as they try to increase their lead in a bid to cushion the impact of Del Monte’s expected fightback.

Whatever, the Cebuanos will have one night to relish their superb effort that sparked hopes for what could be a big breakthrough for a team which was elevated back to the premier category last year after winning seven titles in its nine-year stint in the Founders Division. CCC saw action in the Championship Division in 1999 in Davao before it was re-classified to the Founders class the following year.

Jama Reyes, who sat out the first day, carded 30 points to emerge Alabang’s top scorer as Santiago Lorenzo and Miguel Shah, who turned in impressive rounds of 33 and 32, respectively, at Palos Verdes, sputtered and settled for a pair of 26s while Dax Garcia and Paras scored 22 points each, one of which counted for the youthful squad.

Wack Wack shot a 116 behind a pair of 31s by EJ Marcelo and Matthew Manotoc, a second 28 by Elphege Wong and a 26 by Garry Uy as it broke away from a tie with Orchard to gain a four-point lead over host Apo Golf and Riviera with a 36-hole haul of 233.

Apo, which had a so-so 101 in the first round, assembled a 122 for a 229 in a tie with Riviera, which had a 121.

Orchard, which shared the lead with Wack Wack Wednesday, dropped to fourth with a 111 for a 228 after being slapped a team penalty of two points after Byron Cho holed out for a double-bogey instead of a pick-up.

In Friendship class, Fil-Hawaii pooled a 72 for a 152 as it pulled away by 14 points over UP Tee Jots, which had a 60-138 while PGA British Columbia stood a point farther back at 137 after a 65.

The Platinum sponsors of the 65th PAL Interclub are Mareco Broadcasting Network, Radio High, Stargate Media, Media Five and GE while the major backers are Asia Brewery, Business Mirror and Airbus.

 Other backers: Department of Tourism, Philippine Graphics, Boeing International Corp., Bombo Radyo, Philippine Daily Inquirer, Manila Bulletin, Moevenpick Resort and Spa Cebu, Plantation Bay, Radisson Blu Hotel and Imperial Palace Waterpark and Spa Cebu.