Golf: Abaño and Mondilla banner Del Monte's back-to-back PAL Interclub hopes

Davao City — Pro-bound golfers Jovanie Abaño and Clyde Mondilla will take their last crack as amateur champions as they headline the Del Monte Golf Club’s title-retention bid in the men’s championship division of the 65th Philippine Airlines (PAL) Interclub tournament at the Palos Verdes and Apo Golf clubs.                 Abaño and Mondilla, the former national amateur champ, finished 1-2 in the recent Qualifying event of the ICTSI-Philippine Golf Tour, which made them eligible to join the PGT’s 16 pro events this year.  This week’s PAL Interclub will be their last opportunity to bring home glory to the two-time winner Del Monte.                 Apart from Abaño and Mondilla, the Bukidnon-based squad, which won by a whopping 18 points over rivals Cebu Country Club and Canlubang, will banner John Mark Mondilla, Magno Arancon, Julius Bautista, Noel Langamin, Jelbert Gamolo, Mel Cubillo, Leonard Lofranco, and playing captain Yoyong Velez.                 However, Del Monte expects to face stiffer competition this year with Cebu Country Club returning basically the same core in 2011 of Carl Almario, Eric Deen, Mark Dy, Bayani Garcia, Gio Gandionco, Lloyd Go, Jose Antonio, Gen Nagai and skipper Ramontito Garcia.                 And though Canlubang is not fielding a team this year, Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club steps up in the Interclub roster as the third team in the order.  Francis Gaston, member of seniors runner-up Luisita last week, spearheads the Bacolodnon attack with Chepe Dulay, Max Javelona, Justin Limjap, Tonchy de Leon and JR Tanpinco.                 Also to watch out for is two-time champion Manila Southwoods, which is gunning for its third Interclub crown.  It will anchor its scoring on “balik-amateur” Vince Lauron, teener John Kier Abdon, Ferdie Agustin, Chang Guo Chang, Theodore Pascual, Jose Roy III, Joseph Tambunting, Sung Hwan-yoon and Junjun Plana.                 “My line-up is not as strong as before.  But it is formidable enough to win,” said leader Thirdy Escaño of Southwoods, which produced the likes of current pro stars Artemio Murakami, Tonlits Asistio and Michael Bibat. - AMD, GMA News