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BACOLOD CITY—What
blunder?
In a
wink of an eye, Canlubang poised itself to sharing
Philippine Airlines (PAL) Interclub history although
it’s only halfway through the 61st edition’s regular
championship division contest Thursday at the Bacolod
Golf and Country Club.
And
Canlubang has to primarily thank a five-foot ex-caddie
from Catalunan Pequino, Davao City, for its second-round
onslaught that gave it a seemingly insurmountable
24-point lead over—now—two teams, archrival Manila
Southwoods and 2004 (Cagayan de Oro) champion Del Monte.
Mario
Labajo, 36, exploded with 39 points, an amazing round he
built around three consecutive birdies from the 11th and
two more earlier in the fifth and sixth, that quashed
his bogeys in the third and seventh.
That 39,
plus the 36 of Joey Huerva, the 32 of Rufino Bayron and
the 30 of either Labajo’s older brother Joseph and Zanie
Boy Gialon, allowed Canlubang to notch 137 for the day
for a two-day output of 267.
Southwoods, with Anthony “Tonite” Fernando emerging the
team’s best performer with 35, could only settle for 116
and found itself precariously sharing No. 2 at 243 with
Del Monte, which played better with a 120 Thursday.
“I feel
comfortable here [Bacolod Golf and Country Club] because
it plays like Matina,” said Labajo, one of the original
products of Tommy Manotoc’s National Caddies Foundation
and now a member of the Calatagan Golf Team, also of
Manotoc’s.
“This is
my best round in the Interclub,” added Labajo. Matina,
or the Davao Golf Club, is also rolling like
Bacolod’s.
It was where Labajo caddied and started his golfing
career.
Luigi
Yulo, the Canlubang skipper, could only stress how
comfortable the team felt. “We really wanted a
comfortable lead so there would be no pressure in the
last two days. That was our target since Day One but
with our lead, now I think it’s already in the bag,” he
said.
It was
hardly imaginable for Canlubang to drop the bombs
Thursday. Just a day before, the team teetered atop the
perch with only a three-point (130-127) lead over
Southwoods, no thanks to the rookie blunder of
18-year-old Gialon. Gialon signed a 6 instead of an “x”
for a pick-up at Bacolod’s No. 2, meting Canlubang a
two-point deduction.
That did
not break the spines of the Sugar Barons though, as an
Interclub “triple double” is now within sight in the
fairway. Canlubang, already a winner in the seniors
division last weekend, is chasing Luisita’s double
“three-peat” record, meaning three consecutive titles in
both the seniors and regular divisions, which it pulled
off in 1991-1993.
And who
appeared to be feeling the discomfort at the moment?
Southwoods.
“We
really played bad today but we are not giving up hope. I
am going to field my best five tomorrow [third round
Friday] because there’s no other way but to cut the lead
going into the last round,” said Thirdy Escano, the
Southwoods team captain.
Escano’s
best five could be Fernando, Gene Bondoc, Tonlits
Asistio and most possibly Miko Yee and Chuck Hong.
Del
Monte skipper Yoyong Velez could not help but be
surprised with their sudden surge. “We didn’t expect to
tie Southwoods but with the tight score, we have an
opportunity to get second place,” he said.
The
other scorers for Southwoods Thursday were Jin Jun Jong
(28), Jun Jun Plana (27) and Justin Limjap (26). Benjie
Sarmiento was disqualified when his marker failed to
sign his scorecard.
Park Jun
Sob (33), Jett Plete (31), Julius Bautista (29) and Art
Arbole (27) carried the fight for Del Monte in Day Two.
Velez did not count with a 22.
Iloilo
Golf Club carded 120 points to grab the Sportswriters
Division lead over Villamor, Alta Vista,
Bacolod
and Alabang Country Club. Iloilo totaled 212 points for
a six-point lead over Villamor (101-206) and 11 over
Cebu’s Alta Vista (109-201).
Hawaii
Fil-Am made 81 also Thursday for a 13-point lead in the
Friendship Division. The Hawaiian bets have 160 in
leading Victorias Golf Club (83-147).
Seventy-seven teams from the Philippines, the United
States, China, Canada, Australia and Taiwan are
competing in the event which has Airbus, Boeing,
Bombardier, GE Aviation, MTV Philippines and Solar
Sports as platinum sponsors.
Action
Asia, BusinessMirror, Crossover, PACSPORTS and Royal
Caribbean are the major sponsors and Fortune Tobacco,
GECAS, MasterCard, People Asia and RMN are the corporate
backers, while the other sponsors are Bombo Radyo,
Callaway Golf, Century Park Hotel, Lufthansa Technik and
Patio Pacific Boracay. |
