Fil-Am teams pace PAL seniors

DAVAO — US-based teams Maharlika and Mabuhay waxed hot on wet conditions, firing 200 and 195 to seize control in the sportswriters and friendship divisions, respectively, in the first round action of the 19th Philippine Airlines Seniors Inter-Club here yesterday.

Dick Bocks and Paul Nisperos scored 43 points apiece under the Molave scoring system at the Apo Golf Club course to power Maharlika, winner of the friendship division in Bacolod last year, to a day-best 200 points for a two-point lead over Lanang.

Lanang had 198 points as it drew 41 points from Bobby Dakudao, 40s from Joe Elises and Oscar Lopez, 39 from Manny Tan, and 38 from Joe Tesado. Davao City came in third with 189 while Team LA was fourth with 187. Rancho Palos Verdes and Apo Golf had identical 185s.

Gerry Sy starred for Mabuhay with 41 points, followed by Melecio Zagala 40, Ricardo Tan 39, Vince Solon 38, and Hector Montes 37 for a 195-aggregate. Greg Roja and David O’Brian made 35s and Agustin Bella Jr. limped home with 24 but did not count in the eight-to-play, five-to-count format event.

Bay Area, another international team, trailed Mabuhay by seven points. Jose Crisostomo led Bay Area with 48 points, followed by Perfecto Cereca with 37, Tony Abaniel with 35, Benjamin Terlado and Pete Mejia with 34 points each.

Meanwhile, Luisita Golf Club guns for its sixth straight title while Villamor Golf Club aims to defend its crown as action shifts today to the championship and founders divisions, respectively, also set at the par-72 Lanang layout.

Veteran PAL Inter-Club campaigner Iggy Clavecilla spearheads the bid of the Tarlac-based Luisita squad along with Nueva Ecija Gov. Tomas Joson III, Talisay City Mayor Carlo Gamban, and veterans Richie Garcia, Francis Gaston, Severino Roxas-Chua, King Sumulong and Bong de Guzman.

Looming as the biggest threat to the defending champion is the Tommy Manotoc-led Canlubang, whose members include Bayo Adriano, Bing Bunye, Lino Magpantay, Tony Olives, Antonio Sarmiento, and Rolly Viray. Team captain Luigi Yulo completes the team.

Action Asia, Airbus, Boeing, GE Aviation, GMA 7, Honda Cars Davao, INQ7.net, Joey 92.3, Royal Caribbean International, Philippine Gaming and Amusements Corporation (Pagcor),People Asia, Premier Wine & Spirits, Rudy Project and UMBN are major sponsors of the three-day golfest.

The seniors inter-club, launched to provide the golfing elders a tournament of their own, features 560 players representing 70 local and foreign teams also backed by ABS-CBN International, Fortune Tobaco and Radio Mindanao Network, 96.3 Wrock, Asia Brewery, Century Park Hotel, Honda Megamotors, SM City Davao and Tanduay Rhum.