Golf: Canlubang Sugar Barons out to defend PAL Interclub title

Davao - Perennial rivals Canlubang and Luisita are once again installed as heavy favorites in the premiere championship division as the 65th Philippine Airlines (PAL) Interclub tournament’s seniors competition tees off Wednesday at the Rancho Palos Verdes and Apo Golf Clubs.   Canlubang is going for back-to-back titles after it won by 28 points over Luisita in last year’s edition in Cagayan de Oro.  The Laguna-based team has a total of five crowns, including four straight from 2006-2009 before Luisita ended the streak two years ago.                 Dave Hernandez and Rolly Viray are expected to be at the forefront for the elder Sugar Barons of Canlubang.  They’ll be backstopped by reliables Tony Olives, Mari Hechanova, Bing Buney, Luigi Yulo, and Tommy Manotoc.  Rene Unson comes in as the new recruit.                 Luisita, the 13-time titlists, will have former Asia Pacific Golf Confederation Iggy Clavecilla and Francis Gaston as spearheads, with Philippine Sports Commission chair Ritchie Garcia, Pepot Inigo, Bong Sison, Mining Maravilla, Seve Roxas-Chua and Lino Magpantay.                 “We are going to give them a good fight as usual.  Playing Canlubang is a challenge we always look forward to,” said Luisita non-playing captain Joey Romasanta.                 A total of 86 teams, with 42 coming from abroad, are taking part in the four-to-play, three-to-count tournament, which is divided into four divisions: championship, founders, sportswriters and friendship.                 It was also announced today that the 2013 PAL Interclub tourney, its 66th, will head to Cebu City.   The last time the Queen City of the South hosted the two-week golf fest was in 2001.   Four golf courses, Cebu Country Club, Alta Vista, Club Filipino de Cebu and Mactan, have been tapped as host venues, as announced in today’s captain’s meeting at Apo Golf.Davao - Perennial rivals Canlubang and Luisita are once again installed as heavy favorites in the premiere championship division as the 65th Philippine Airlines (PAL) Interclub tournament’s seniors competition tees off Wednesday at the Rancho Palos Verdes and Apo Golf Clubs.   Canlubang is going for back-to-back titles after it won by 28 points over Luisita in last year’s edition in Cagayan de Oro.  The Laguna-based team has a total of five crowns, including four straight from 2006-2009 before Luisita ended the streak two years ago.                 Dave Hernandez and Rolly Viray are expected to be at the forefront for the elder Sugar Barons of Canlubang.  They’ll be backstopped by reliables Tony Olives, Mari Hechanova, Bing Buney, Luigi Yulo, and Tommy Manotoc.  Rene Unson comes in as the new recruit.                 Luisita, the 13-time titlists, will have former Asia Pacific Golf Confederation Iggy Clavecilla and Francis Gaston as spearheads, with Philippine Sports Commission chair Ritchie Garcia, Pepot Inigo, Bong Sison, Mining Maravilla, Seve Roxas-Chua and Lino Magpantay.                 “We are going to give them a good fight as usual.  Playing Canlubang is a challenge we always look forward to,” said Luisita non-playing captain Joey Romasanta.                 A total of 86 teams, with 42 coming from abroad, are taking part in the four-to-play, three-to-count tournament, which is divided into four divisions: championship, founders, sportswriters and friendship.                 It was also announced today that the 2013 PAL Interclub tourney, its 66th, will head to Cebu City.   The last time the Queen City of the South hosted the two-week golf fest was in 2001.   Four golf courses, Cebu Country Club, Alta Vista, Club Filipino de Cebu and Mactan, have been tapped as host venues, as announced in today’s captain’s meeting at Apo Golf.