Cangolf fields hard-to-beat team in jungolf interclub tiff

MANILA, Philippines - Canlubang fields a formidable quartet in an attempt to solidify its status as the country’s undisputed power in team play in the Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines Interclub Championship starting tomorrow at the Mt. Malarayat Golf and Country Club in Lipa, Batangas.

Carrying the banner of Canlubang in Division 1 are Miguel Tabuena, Jobim Carlos, Rupert Zaragosa and Gio Gandionco – a solid combination installed as the team to beat in the four-to-play, three-to-count tourney kicking off a busy ICTSI jungolf summer circuit.

A hundred and seventy players have signed up for the Interclub, which features team and individual participants from Aguinaldo, Alabang, Philippine Navy, Valley, Orchard, Forest Hills, Riviera, The Country Club, Summit Point, Manila Southwoods, Malarayat, Fernando Airbase, Mactan and Tat Filipinas.

Twenty Korean juniors are providing the foreign challenge to the tournament also backed by Philippine Airlines, McDonald’s, Smart, Golf Depot, Dynamic Sports and Leisure Corp. and Pioneer Insurance.

The ICTSI summer circuit recently received a tremendous boost with the entry of the Pancake House Group, Teriyaki Boy, Sizzling Pepper as additional major backers.

Luigi Tabuena, president of the JGFP, sees the entry of the corporate giants as a welcome development that will help them pursue the vision of a truly nationwide development program already in motion with the national junior golf rankings.

The main backers of the program – Ricky Razon of ICTSI, Jimmy Bautista of Philippine Airlines, Martin Lorenzo of Pancake Group and Ogie Manalo of the Federation of Philippine Golf Clubs, Inc. – have been invited to grace the opening ceremonies.

While the main focus is the battle for the three division titles, there is also much excitement in the individual battles in all age groups where the cream of the present crop of junior players are entered not to mention the foreign challengers.

Division I features players in classes A and B. Division 2 is for C and D and Division 3   for E and F. Trophies are up for grabs in all six individual classes from A to F for the boys and girls categories.

The Canlubang boys are hard-pressed to emulate the unchallenged romp of their home club in the annual PAL Interclub wars. Carlos and Zaragosa were part of the team that captured for Canlubang its fifth straight crown and 17th overall.