Senior tussle will be pretty balanced in Bacolod
At A Glance
- Seniors play in the Philippine Airlines Interclub will be a very interesting one this year, with players either sitting it out for their old clubs or playing for other teams because of previous commitments.
Seniors play in the Philippine Airlines Interclub will be a very interesting one this year, with players either sitting it out for their old clubs or playing for other teams because of previous commitments.
Luisita and Canlubang, the usual powerhouses in the PAL Interclub event for players 55 years old and above, are seeing this year's competition, set to start Feb. 10 in Bacolod, as wide open as it can be, with ace Sugar Baron Abe Rosal even describing it as "the winner is the one who makes the least mistakes."
"With the lineups being so evenly matched from where I see it, it will all boil down to playing as consistent as you can," Rosal said while overseeing action in the Smart Infinity Philippine Open at Manila Southwoods.
Rosal is still the best player that Canlubang has, but the Sugar Barons will come into action at Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club and Bacolod Golf and Country Club without JP Reyes, and Pem Rosal, who formed part of their core the past years.
"We will need to get their usual productions from someone else," Abe Rosal said. "So that will be crucial to us."
Luisita, meanwhile, has also lost Benjie Sumulong, who will be very busy with Alabang's Mango Tee on Interclub week, and the veteran Rodel Mangulabnan, and non-playing team skipper Jeric Hechanova is now looking at replacements who should count well as the Nos. 3 and 4 guys.
"In my experience, the Interclub has almost always been won by the last two guys," Hechanova said. "Because the stars (who spearhead teams each day), usually cancel each other out.
"So you need your Nos. 3 and 4 guys to turn in decent scores and count well for your team," he said.
Del Monte will be defending the Senior championship for the first time in a long history of participation, with Yoyong Velez again to banner the Bukidnon-based squad.
Velez and Co. won last year when action was held at Pueblo de Oro and Bukidnon, and the challenge now for the team is to be able to play well outside the comforts of their home courses.
Manila Southwoods, which last year was in the running, will reportedly miss Jorge Gallent, the ex-San Miguel Beer coach in the PBA who led the Carmona-based squad in scoring last year. He has reportedly transferred to play for Alabang in Bacolod.