Del Monte pads lead to 14 points with 154 at home

MANOLO Fortich, Bukidnon, Philippines — Del Monte lit it up on its home course yesterday, pooling 154 points built around the three-under-par 69 worth 57 points of Romeo Jaraula to open up a 14-point lead over Canlubang after the second round of Championship division play of the 75th Philippine Airlines Senior Interclub tournament.

The Bukidnon-based bets were so unrelenting that they threw away either 48 of Billy Adag or Crispin Parilla – scores that would have counted with the other squads – as Del Monte takes a 305 aggregate into the third round that will also be hosted by the gem inside the vast pineapple plantation.

“Good that our players delivered today,” playing skipper Yoyong Velez said as Del Monte is now threatening to make what was expected to be a Canlubang-Luisita slugfest into a cakewalk of its own.

Ernisto Apas accounted for 49 points for Del Monte, as Velez hinted at having the same five come out for the third round in an effort to come up with the killer blow and make the final round at Pueblo de Oro a veritable valedictory march for the squad seeking a first Senior title.

From six points at the start of the second round, the Sugar Barons are now facing a huge deficit despite getting 52 points from Abe Rosal and 50 from Abe Avena in a 146 effort.

Luisita, the defending champion, tallied a second-round 145.