Del Monte savors sweet triumph

CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines — Del Monte accounted for its week-worst 141 points to close out Seniors Championship division play in the 75th Philippine Airlines (PAL) Interclub, still more than enough for the Bukidnon-based bets to crown themselves champions for the first time.

“This is very sweet for us,” skipper Yoyong Velez, who fired a five-over-par 77 for 49 points like Ondoy Mondilla, said after the team had the honor of posing as maiden winners. “The guys simply delivered and I am very proud of this homegrown team finally becoming a champion.”

Del Monte tallied 601 points after four days of action, with Roroy Minoza shooting 43 points and the club throwing away the 42 of Jun Maghamil for a 17-point win.

“We take pride in winning this event for the first time,” Velez added. “Simply because we have been playing year in and year out using only players that come from Del Monte. We don’t recruit players from the outside.”

The final round was actually anti-climactic with Del Monte practically winning it on Saturday after opening up an 18-point lead. The real battle Sunday was for second spot, which Canlubang and Manila Southwoods hotly disputed.

The Sugar Barons rallied from a one-point deficit going into the last two holes to tally a closing 142 like Southwoods for runner-up honors for the second straight year. Cangolf lost a lead in the final round in Cebu last year to yield the title to Luisita.

By being able to match Southwoods in the last round, Cangolf held on to a three-point edge for second place after getting 50 points from Damasus Wong, 48 points from the veteran Abe Rosal and 44 from Abe Avena for 584 overall.