Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel “Manny” Pinol leads the ceremonial tee-off at the Rancho Palos Verdes Golf and Country Club to formally open the Philippine Airlines 70th Interclub Golf Tournament (Seniors Division), with the theme “The Turf of Legends” from Feb. 22-25 in Davao City.
PAL Interclub Seniors First Round
Luisita opens two-point lead
Philippine Airlines (PAL) President Jaime J. Bautista leads the ceremonial tee-off at the Rancho Palos Verdes Golf and Country Club to formally open the Philippine Airlines 70th Interclub Golf Tournament (Seniors Division), with the theme “The Turf of Legends” from Feb. 22-25 in Davao City.
DAVAO CITY – Fifteen-time champion Luisita Golf Club got a big lift from two new recruits to take a slim two-point lead over Del Monte Golf Club at the start of the 31stPhilippine Airlines Senior Interclub golf team championships.
Rodel Mangulabnan made an auspicious seniors debut for Luisita with 50 points, one of only three players who scored in the fifties at the Apo Golf and Country Club.
Mangulabnan, who just turned 55, made two birdies against six bogeys.
Chito Laureta, another fresh addition, added 48 and Jingy Tuason chipped in 47 as Luisita pooled 145 points. Allan Alegre did not count with 45 points.
“We kind of expected to lead, but we didn’t expect the high scores,” said Luisita non-playing captain Jeric Hechanova, noting that players were allowed to lift and clean their balls.
Del Monte, made up of former pros and caddies, emerged as a serious contender, scoring 143 points behind Archie Mondilla’s 50 points.
Mondilla is the father of pro Clyde Mondilla.
The Bukidnon-based squad also drew 48 points from last year’s individual champion Virgilio Adag and 45 from Ernesto Apas. Romeo Bautista failed to count with 39.
A huge disappointment was defending champion Canlubang which skidded to fourth place with 124, 21 points behind Luisita.
Eagle Ridge, getting 51 points from Korean Tong Wha Lee, took third spot with 131. Other scorers were Koreans Jie Sik Oh (41) and Seong Song (39).
Despite the heavy deficit, Canlubang skipper Tony OIives is not about to throw in the towel.
“There are plenty of golf to be played, but we need to start reducing the leadtomorrow at Rancho Palos Verdes,” said Olives.
In what could go down to be its worst opening round, Canlubang got 43 from Damas Wong, 41 from Dave Hernandez and 40 from Mari Hechanova.
“It was a humbling experience,” said many-time Spanish champion Mike Preysler who did not count for Canlubang with 35 points.
The 70th PAL Interclub Platinum sponsors are Mareco Broadcasting Network, A&E Networks Asia, RMN Networks, The Manila Standard, Fox Networks Group, Rolls-Royce, TV5, MasterCard, TFC and Business Mirror.
Major sponsors include Asian Air Safari, Airbus, Primax Broadcasting Network and Sabre Airline Solutions while Corporate sponsors are Baron Travel Corporation, Boeing, MX3, GE Aviation, Bombo Radyo Philippines, Asia Brewery, Tanduay Distillers, Sabre Airline Solutions and Tourism Promotions Board.
The donors are Shangri-La at The Fort, Trinity Insurance and Eton Properties.
Partial first round results:
CHAMPIONSHIP
Luisita 145, Del Monte 143, Eagle Ridge 131, Canlubang 124
FOUNDERS
Orchard Seniors 138, Villamor Air Base 137, Pueblo de Oro 135, Davao City 132, Manila 132, Apo Golf and Country Club 130, Cebu Country Club 130, Wack Wack 130, Alabang Country Club 128, Camp John Hay 127, Valley Golf and Country Club 125, Negros Occidental 125, Veterans 115, Iloilo 110, Social Redhawk 106, Bayarea 98, Club 1872 los angeles 92, Via Verde LA 55, Brotherhood Sharp 36
AVIATOR
Racho Palos 134, Rivera Golf 130, Alta Vista Golf 126, Manila Southwoods 125, Zamboanga Golf 120, Fil Am Hawaii 117, Camp Evangelista 115, Guinhalaran 114, South Bay Golf 112, Forest Hills 109, Lanang Golf 108, Team Coral Ocean Point 106, Bacolod Golf 102, Vancouver Golf ABC 100, SF Heritage 100, Club Filipino Cebu 100, Canphil Golf 99, Bay City GC Alameda 96, Taotaomona Guam 90, PGA Qatar 88, IAGE San Diego 85, EZ Par Golf 62, Greenhills West 36
SPORTSWRITER
Fil Oz Sydney 108, Sarangani Golf 105, South Cotabato 104 San Juanico Park Golf 103, Paoay Seniors 101, Baguio Country Club 101, Melbourne Pinoy Golf 99, Team Brookside 98, Fort Bonifacio
Manny Pinol & Rey Fortaleza (Photo Credits Tomas Jose S. Iñigo)
Golf 97, Iligan Golf 96, Phil Am Central Florida 95, UP Tee Jots 93, San Francisco Maharlika Golf 91, Dirab Golf 90, Austral Asian Social Golf 89, Mt Malindang 89, Guam Seals 88,Mabuhay Golf of SFO 88, Fli Am Fairfield 85, Van City Golf 85, Pinoy Vancouver Golf 76, San Francisco Crystal Springs 72, PGA British Columbia 66, Sky West Golf 65
FRIENDSHIP
Bennett Valley 97, MSU golf 90, Filcansa 88, Lumbia Golf 86, Guam 86, Fil Am New Jersey 85, Parbreakers 82, West Covina Warrios 80, Guam Compadres 79, Moffett Field 77, Travellers 74, Winners Circle 73, Leyte Golf 73, San Francisco Penninsula 72, Fil Am SFO 71, Greater Vancouver 62, Pittsburg Fil Am 61, Tri City 57, Sandbagger of Vancouver 42
SENIORS INTERCLUB. The 2nd team captains meeting of the PAL Seniors Interclub last Feb. 19 at Rancho Palos Verdes Golf & Country Club signaled the start of the 70th edition of the country’s longest running team golf championship that unfolds this year in Davao City. Photo shows PAL and tournament officials with captains of the 90 teams seeing action in the 31st Seniors Interclub at Rancho Palos Verdes and Apo Golf from Feb. 22 to 25.