CEBU CITY, Philippines – Both hounded by personnel woes, Luisita and Canlubang try to outwit each other for the head-start in what promises to be another classic battle for PAL (Philippine Airlines) Interclub Seniors honors at the Mactan Golf Club here today.
The fielding of players will play a vital role in each other’s title drive with the defending champion Luisitans battling health issues on Eddie Bagtas and Pepot Inigo and the Sugar Barons launching their bid to reclaim the crown without national seniors champion Abe Avena.
Bagtas, who powered the team to victory in Bacolod last year, skipped practice Wednesday after his blood pressure shot up to 170 over 90, while Inigo is still recovering from a bout with flu and might be fielded only in the last two rounds.
While Canlubang gets a big boost on Tommy Manotoc’s return, it will however miss the services of one of its top gunners as Avena failed to get the doctor’s clearance to play after suffering a rib injury following a vehicular accident two weeks ago in Manila.
That makes the title chase doubly interesting with skippers of both squads hoping to come up with the right combinations to startle the other team’s gameplan.
Aside from Bagtas and Inigo, others playing for Luisita are Francis Gaston, Richie Garcia, Seve Roxas Chua, Rudy Amata and Bong Sison.
Manotoc, on the other hand, will be backed by Dave Hernandez, Rolly Viray, Mari Hechanova, Tony Olives, Luigi Yulo, Bing Bunye and Rene Unson.
Only two teams have won the Philippine Airlines Interclub Seniors golf crown the last 14 years. And the storyline will most likely be the same this year.
Luisita won five straight titles from 2001 before Canlubang ruled seven of the next nine editions.
Each team is allowed to field four players each round with the top three scores to count. However, each player is allowed to play only two rounds.
Last year, Luisita overcame a two-point overnight deficit to beat Canlubang by two at the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club.
Gaston and Sison starred for Luisita with 51 and 50 points, respectively.
Aside from Mactan, the event will be played at the Club Filipino in Danao, which will host the second and fourth round.
While Mactan is relatively flat and features narrow fairways, Club Filipino is an up-and-down mountain course which puts premium on accuracy and placement.
Luisita team manager Joey Romasanta, who arrived Tuesday night, said his players are in high spirits and are excited to go into battle against Canlubang.
“They’ve been here since Monday and are raring to go,” said Romasanta.
Eighty-nine teams, half from overseas, are divided into four divisions: Championship, Founders, Sportswriters and Friendship.
Hotel H20, Travelife, Boeing International Corp., Business Mirror and GE Aviation are sponsoring the twin events. Other backers include Mareco Broadcasting Network (Crossover), People Asia Magazine, Whealth Inc., Aerospace, Uniglobe Travelware Co. Inc., Tanduay Distillers and Intercontinental Manila.