Luisita tries to dethrone Canlubang on familiar turf

BACOLOD—After losing the title the last two years by a grand total of nine points, Luisita tries to stop arch-rival Canlubang’s bid for a fourth straight Seniors championship starting today in the 67th Philippine Airlines Interclub golf tournament on the two courses they dominated to capture their last overall plum in 2010.

Bolstered by the return of Iggy Clavecilla and the entry of former crack pro Eddie Bagtas, the Luisitans are given more than an equal chance to upstage this time the Sugar Barons, who are actually gunning for their eighth title in the last nine years.

Former national champion Francis Gaston and Philippine Sports Commission chair Richie Garcia, who learned the game at host clubs Negros Occidental and Bacolod, are the other big guns of Luisita in the four-to-play, three-to-count tournament for players 55 years and above.

Completing the lineup are Pepot Inigo, Lino Magpantay, Seve Roxas-Chua and Bong Dizon.

With former spearhead Tommy Manotoc again begging off, Canlubang has tapped reigning national seniors champion Abe Avena along with its Japanese member Masakazu Sosa, who took over from longtime regular Bing Bunye.

The other Canlubang mainstays are Luigi Yulo, Tony Olives, Mari Hechanova, Dave Hernandez, Rollie Viray and Rene Unson.

Canlubang and Luisita get going at Bacolod GC in Murcia outside of this city with entries from dark horse Cebu and Orchard rounding out the cast of the championship flight.

Action shifts to Negros Occidental CC here Friday then follows the schedule of the first two rounds.

Luisita lost the title by three points in 2012 and by six last year with Clavecilla sidelined by health issues.

The Tarlac-based squad had actually tied Canlubang from three down going into the last nine holes last year, then collapsed. Competition is also set in the Founders, Sportswriters and Friendship divisions.

This year’s edition, which drew a total of 77 teams, including entries from the United States, the Middle East, Australia and Canada in the Men’s division scheduled next week, is co-sponsored by CrossOver with Boeing, Philippines Graphic, Stargate Media (People Asia) and Rogue as corporate backers.