Canlubang wins 7th PAL Interclub title Cebu Country Club stamps class in Founders Division

CEBU, Philippines - Canlubang picked the right time to score its best round, posting 148 points to beat Luisita for the Philippine Airlines Interclub seniors’ golf tournament Sunday. 

It was the Sugar Barons’ third straight championship and seventh overall in eight years.

Dave Hernandez and Rolly Viray shone with 51 points each at Alta Vista as Canlubang finished with 568 points, six points ahead of Luisita.

Canlubang’s third score was 46 from either team captain Luigi Yulo or Philip Brodett.

For the third straight year, Luisita had to settle for second place, fading in the last nine holes after managing to tie Canlubang at the turn.  

Minieng Maravilla led Luisita with 51 points, but Richie Garcia, the Philippine Sports Commission chairman, struggled with 47 points, a score matched by Bong Sison.

“If there’s a will, there’s a way,” said Yulo after foiling another Luisita charge.

Luisita looked good in the front nine until Garcia went out of bounds off the tee in the ninth hole to make the turn at two-over par.

It was downhill from there as Garcia dropped five more strokes in the last nine holes for 47, seven points less than his first round output.

‘I thought I hit a good five-iron tee shot. After that, I could no longer hit it cleanly,” said Garcia.

Pueblo de Oro, which led in the first two rounds, settled for third place with 531 points following a 130.

Scoring for Pueblo were Manuel Roa (46), Miguel Chiong (43) and Carlos Rubio (41).

Clifford Celdran of Pueblo edged Ramontito Garcia by a single point to win the individual title.

In the Founders division, Cebu Country Club won the Founders division with 555 points after scoring 142 points at Alta Vista.

Ramontito Garcia led CCC with 50 points followed by Koichi Horii with 47 and Masatsugu Ochiai with 45.

Alta Vista matched CCC’s 142 to settle for second place with 550.

Scoring for Alta Vista were Akiro Hatano 50, Ramon Sebastian 47 and Agapito Suan 45.

Texas won the Sportswriters class with 460 followed by SFO Crystal Springs 456 and Veterans 453. (FREEMAN)