DAVAO CITY—On a day of hot scoring, Luisita Golf Club built a 15-point lead over Del Monte, but kept a close watch on rival Canlubang which played its best round in recent memory in the 31st Philippine Airlines Senior Interclub golf team championships Thursday.
Eddie Bagtas led Luisita with 56 points, scattering five birdies against three birdies at the Rancho Palos Verdes.
But the day’s best score belonged to veteran Rolly Viray who produced a career-high 58 points that lifted defending champion Canlubang to third spot, 18 points off Luisita.
“Nakuha sa kanin at hotdog,” said the 67-year-old Viray in jest.
Viray, showing his skills around the greens, made only 24 putts in a bogey-free round marked by four birdies.
Together with Abe Rosal’s 53 and Abe Avena’s 51, the Sugar Barons returned with a staggering 162 points, 38 points better than their output at Apo Golf Wednesday.
Luisita, however, was up to the challenge, scoring 159 points behind Bagtas, Raffy Garcia (54) and Edmund Yee (49).
Two rounds into the four-day event, Luisita was on top with 304, followed by Del Monte 289, Canlubang 286 and Eagle Ridge 268.
“We’re happy with what we have achieved so far,” said Luisita non-playing captain Jeric Hechanova. “We’re not taking team any team for granted, but if we go into the final day with a 12-point lead, it would be very hard to overcome.”
Hechanova said he expects Canlubang to field a strong team Friday in the hope of cutting the deficit to manageable level.
Last year in Clark, Angeles, the Sugar Barons won their ninth championship after erasing a 12-point deficit in the third round to go 2-up.
Del Monte failed to keep pace with Luisita and Canlubang, tallying 146 points on Raul Minoza’s 52 and the pair of 47s by Yoyong Velez and Callo Arnido.
Eagle Ridge drew 51 points from Antonio Mendoza, 46 from Youn Hwan An and 40 from Cesar Castro.
Meanwhile, a four-horse race is shaping up in the Founders division halfway through the event.
Orchard led Cebu Country Club by a single point with Davao City Golf and Pueblo de Oro within seven points off the leader.
Orchard scored 130 points at Apo Golf and Country Club for a two-day total of 268 points.
Scoring for Orchard were Louie Garcia 44, Chito Servida 43 and Luis Sajorda 43.
Ramontito Garcia fired 51 points to lead CCC which collected 137 points for 269. Other scorers were Matsugo Ochiai 44 and Nonoy Tirol 42.
Davao City Golf was in third spot with 262 while Pueblo de Oro was fourth with 261.
The 70th PAL Interclub Platinum sponsors are Mareco Broadcasting Network, A&E Networks Asia, RMN Networks, The Manila Standard, Fox Networks Group, Rolls-Royce, TV5, MasterCard, TFC and Business Mirror.
Major sponsors include Asian Air Safari, Airbus, Primax Broadcasting Network and Sabre Airline Solutions while Corporate sponsors are Baron Travel Corporation, Boeing, MX3, GE Aviation, Bombo Radyo Philippines, Asia Brewery, Tanduay Distillers, Sabre Airline Solutions and Tourism Promotions Board.
The donors are Shangri-La at The Fort, Trinity Insurance and Eton Properties.
Partial results:
CHAMPIONSHIP
Luisita 304 (145-159), Del Monte (143-146), Canlubang (124-162), Eagle Ridge (131-137)
FOUNDERS
Orchard 268 (138-130), Cebu Country Club 267 (130-137), Davao City Golf (132-130), Pueblo de Oro 261 (135-126), Apo Golf 258 (130-128), Negros Occidental Golf 258 (125-133), Camp John Hay 257 (127-130), Valley Golf 256 (125-131), Manila Golf 254 (132-122), Villamor 253 (137-116), Alabang Country Club 249 (128-121), Wack Wack 244 (130-114), Veterans Golf 227 (115-112), Iloilo Golf 224 (110-114), Socal Redhawk 211 (106-105), Club 1872 Los Angeles 201 (92-109), Via Verde Los Angeles 190 (97-93), Bay Area Golf 164 (98-66), Brotherhood Sharp 103 (36-67)
