PAL seniors interclub begins today

BACOLOD CITY - The Philippine Airlines Seniors Interclub, the country’s No. 1 event involving the country’s golfing elders, reels off today with a record international field of 60 teams.

Hosting the 54-hole tournament ending Sunday are the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club here and the Bacolod Golf and Country Club in nearby Murcia.

"Once again, we have another record field for the Seniors Interclub as well as the Men’s Interclub and we expect to see thrilling action among the contenders," said PAL senior assistant vice president Domingo Duerme, the Interclub chairman.

"Together with 72 teams competing in the Men’s Interclub, we have a total of 132 teams from here, the United States, Canada, Australia, China, Japan, Singapore and Saudi Arabia," said Duerme.

"On behalf of the Interclub, I would like to welcome them as they fight for team and individual honors. I wish all of them good luck. And I hope they will have fun out there, " said Duerme.

The 55th Men’s Interclub, generally conceded the country’s national team championship, will be played from Feb. 27 to March 2 also at the two golf courses.

Major sponsors in this year’s edition are Fortune Tobacco, Boeing International Corp., Radio Mindanao Network/E! Television, Airbus Industrie, National Broadcasting Corp./MTV, ABS-CBN International, Premier Wine & Spirits and Smart Communications.

The corporate backers are PLDT, Tanduay Distillers, Asia Brewery, 96.3 Rock, PAGCOR, UMBN, Century Park Hotel, DWWW, 105.1 Crossover, GE Aircraft Engines, Taylor Made Adidas, Stop Over Travel & Magazine/Wings of Pacific Publishing.

CNN, Boysen Pacific Paint, Mandarin Oriental Hotel and Marco Polo Hotel Group are the minor sponsors.