PAL Mabuhay golf in Faldo, Aoki layouts

More than 200 golfers, most of them leaders of business and industry, will tee off on Friday in the ninth edition of Philippine Airlines’ Mabuhay Club Invitational Golf Tournament at the Eagle Ridge Golf and Country Club in General Trias, Cavite.

Competition will be in four divisions over the equally-challenging Faldo and Aoki layouts. Classes A and B as well as the male guests will be tackling the Faldo course while Classes C, D and all ladies will be playing on the Aoki course.

Shotgun tee-off will be at 7:30 a.m. following a ceremonial start at 7 a.m. at the Aoki’s tee No.1.

The event is an annual gathering of the members of the Mabuhay Club, the frequent business and first class flyers of Philippine Airlines.

For the second straight year, the club’s best golfer and the tournament’s most dominant player, Gerard Cantada, will not be competing – he has turned professional. But he is expected to lend his presence to the tournament by playing in a flight with PAL professional Casius Casas and other non-competing guests.

Last year, businessman Jose Antonio "Pepe" Lim captured overall honors with a low net of 69 at the Langer course of the Riviera Golf and Country Club. The one-shot victory over Bones Floro was vindication for his narrow loss in 1999, when he lost the championship only by a tiebreak to American Tom Culligan.

Lawyer Pompeyo Nolasco won the low gross title with an 82.