Del Monte off to shining start

Cagayan de Oro — They’ve waited four years for this moment and when it came they made it sure it would be long remembered.

Del Monte made a brilliant 12-under par 156 card, a feat so spectacular it drew praises and awe even from the seasoned champs.

That gave the host team a six-point lead over yet another surprise squad and the reigning titlist a huge mountain to climb in their bid for a record fifth straight crown.

But on this day, history was on the side of Del Monte.

No other team in recent memory has come up with a sensational opening salvo boosted by yet another record-setting individual effort in the first round of the 57th Philippine Airlines Interclub golf team championship at the Del Monte course.

Romeo "Boboy" Jaraulla, 35, fired a stirring seven-under par 43 points — 65 on medal count. It was so scintillating a round — nine birdies against two bogeys — and conceded the best in 21 years of this storied event.

Lino Retuerto, son of Frankie Minoza’s swing guru, added 40 points, Joel Opaco submitted a 38 and Arsenio Mondilla a 35 for Del Monte’s scores in the round with big gun Paul Minoza’s 32 — a good card by any team’s standard — not counting for the team.

"It’s a great start. We’ve waited four years for this championship and in fact we’ve been preparing for this since the Interclub came here in 2000. We’re not surprised with our start because even in practice the boys were playing well," said Del Monte team captain Ramon Velez, the company’s legal counsel.

Manila Southwoods was the only team to have endured the fiery charge of the host squad probably from the sheer naïveté of its youth brigade, who held their own and frolicked in the first day grind for an impressive 150. Japanese Turo Nakajima, 19, fired 39, Michael Bibat, also 19, had a 38, Hanson So, 24, a 37 and Tonton Asistio, only 14, firing a 36. Junjun Plana, the most senior of the team, had a 33.

Defending champion Canlubang had a 140 and struggled in the wake of Del Monte’s siege despite a balanced scoring but it remained undaunted in its mission to nail its 13th crown and fifth straight since 2000.

"They were super today. First time I heard of 156. They were very comfortable in their home course but I still feel we have the edge because we have a deeper bench while I think they have fielded their best players, " said Canlubang skipper Luigi Yulo.

National team player Boyet Saragoza led the Sweeties with 39 points and he was backed by the 36 of caddies champ Jay Bayron, one of the 32’s of Abe Rosal and Mari Hechanova and the 33 of veteran Tommy Manotoc.

"It’s not over yet but we have a big mountain to climb. We didn’t play that badly but they played way over their heads today," said Manotoc.

Brandishing excellent shotmaking all day, Jaraulla fired all his nine birdies within 10 feet and missed only two greens in regulation for his 43 points. It was the tournament’s best although Interclub watchers remember the same card set by Gil Ababa in 1983 in Batulao, but on less demanding course, and the 42 made by Plana, then playing for Aguinaldo, in 1988 in Club Filipino.

"Lahat-lahat maganda ngayon," said Jaraulla, who had to skip a stint in the Philippine Open to hone up for the Interclub. He gained the Open berth for finishing fourth in the DHL-NGAP National Amateur Open.

Southwoods was as enthusiastic not only in their bid for the crown as the Del Monte team but for the future with its stable of talented jungolfers seeming unfazed by the man-sized competition at hand.

"It’s a good showing specially for our first-timers. Our scores showed that we could be fighting and be competitive for the next 10 years. We are very proud of these kids for it means our training back home is doing well," said Southwoods skipper Jeric Hechanova.

In the Founders Division, Cebu came up with 128 to lead by two over host Pueblo de Oro while Forest Hills and Riviera were tied at 122. John Hay took charge in the Sportswriters Division with 111 for similar two-point edge over Negros with Orchard coming in third 107. In the Friendship class, Mactan Coral took a 10-point edge with 106. Zamboanga had 96 and Maharlika 94.