PAL Interclub: Cebu Country Club is surprise leader

BUKIDNON — Cebu Country Club played the spoiler's role in the first round as it collected 136 points and gate-crashed its way to the expected duel between Canlubang and Del Monte in the championship division of the 64th Philippine Airlines (PAL) Interclub regular men's tournament at the Del Monte Golf and Country Club. Carl Almario, brother of former Philippine Basketball Association player Alfie Almario, was the frontrunner for CCC in the rain-drenched Del Monte layout. He finished with a hot two-under-par 70 for 38 points in the Molave system. Two 35s by Gio Gandionco and Mark Dy and the 28 by Lloyd Go accounted for the Cebuanos’ output for the day.. "Del Monte's conditions suit us well. Back in Cebu, the courses are in the same situation," CCC captain Montito Garcia said of Del Monte's par-72 course which was rendered with muddy fairways and soggy greens brought about by heavy rains the day before. Garcia was not yet sure on who to field on Thursday when the action shifts to the other venue, the El Pueblo de Oro Golf and Country Club. He may use the same five, although he has the option to play. Per PAL Interclub rules, a participant can only play in two-of-four rounds. This will be CCC's return to the premier cast. It last participated in 1999 before it settled with the Founders Division until last year. It won seven titles overall, but none yet in the championship bracket. Local favorite Del Monte played with three PAL Interclub rookies and yet it turned in a very good opener with 133 points. Veteran Bannie Abano was in good form, coming away with 38 to match the output of Almario. Lawrence Cubillo made 34, Julius Bautista had 31, while both Magno Arancon and Mark Mondilla tallied 30 each. Cubillo, Arancon and Mondilla are the newcomers playing for Del Monte. Defending champion Canlubang was a picture of disappointment as it could only come up with 132 points. With a line-up composed of top amateur and junior golfers, it failed to live up to expectations for a team seeking a sixth straight title. Sugar Baron Art Arbole submitted a team-high 38 and Paul Echavez backed him up with 36. Former teaching pro Abe Rosal, who made a controversial downgrade to amateur status years back, struggled with a 32 while Gabriel Manotoc added 26. World junior champ Rupert Zaragosa's 24 was disregarded in the five-to-play, four-to-count format. “We played as scouts today (Wednesday). We went out and saw just how strong the players of the other teams were, particularly of Cebu, with some of its members not familiar to us," said Canlubang's non-playing team skipper Luigi Yulo. Two-time champion Manila Southwoods pooled in 117 to move to fourth place. Many-time national team member Jun Jun Plana came up with 36 markers, Steve Yoon had 32 while Vince Lauron contributed 27. Thirdy Escano and Joseph Tambunting each had a 22. Over at El Pueblo in Cagayan de Oro, Wack Wack zoomed to a six-point Founders’ Division lead over Alabang after getting 35 points from John Gobing and 34 each from Garry Uy and Oliver Gan for a team total 131. Hubert Lim’s 28 was the fourth score for Wack Wack as Tootsie de Jesus failed to count with a 27. Arnel Paras scored 34 and Miguel Shah and JB Garcia each chipped in with a 31, with young Basti Lorenzo accounting for 29 for Alabang’s second-running 125. - Adrian Flores, KY, RCJ