32 foreign, local clubs vie in PAL ladies tilt

MANILA, Philippines - A total of 32 clubs from all over the country – including some of the most exclusive golf clubs – and a number of foreign teams will be seeing action in the revival of the Philippine Airlines Ladies Interclub golf tournament set next month at the Rancho Palos Verdes Golf and Country Club in Davao.

Alabang, a former two-time winner of the event, hopes to keep its winning ways even as Manila Golf, Wack Wack, Sta. Elena, Tagaytay Highlands, Tagaytay Midlands and Tagaytay Belle are all primed to mount a serious challenge in the events slated Oct. 11-14.

At stake for these upper-tier clubs are bragging rights that go to the winner of what is touted as the country’s unofficial ladies golf team championship.

“With the theme ‘She Swings!,’ the revival of the PAL Ladies Interclub promises to be a smash hit, going by the successful team captains’ meeting last Aug. 4. We’re all set and ready to go,” said PAL executive Dina May Flores, chairperson of the tournament.

The PAL Ladies Interclub serves as the re-launching of the tournament that was a popular fixture on the local golf circuit in the 1980s.

But unlike before when the event – which began in 1984 and was staged for five years – was held in just one venue, the Cebu Country Club, Ladies Interclub steps out of Cebu for the first time and will follow the same course-hopping schedule that the Men’s Interclub is known for.

Luisita was the inaugural champion in 1984, followed by Villamor, Bonifacio and Alabang two years in a row.

In a sign of the tournament’s growing appeal, traditional Men’s powerhouses Del Monte of Bukidnon and Southwoods of Laguna will be fielding teams for the first time.

Enthusiasm of many lady golfers is seen in the fielding of more than one team from Manila Southwoods (2 teams), Valley Golf (2 teams) and Tagaytay Highlands (3 teams).

Adding spice to the competition are well-honed squads from the United States, Australia and Japan, which are expected to give local lady par-busters a stiff test, aside from infusing an international flavor to the event.

The PAL Ladies Interclub is backed by classic sponsors Stargate Media, Business Mirror, Hi-Definition Radio, GECAS, Crossover, Kumare Klub on TV5 and Boeing.

The donors are Asia Brewery, Tanduay and the Paris Hilton Shop at Abreeza Mall.