Orchard starts Pal Interclub defense

CEBU CITY—Orchard guns for a repeat in the Philippine Airlines Interclub Men’s championship starting Wednesday, signing a former junior world champion who will play a key role at Club Filipino de Cebu and Cebu Country Club.

Kristofer Arevalo, who ruled the 13-14 division of the Callaway Worlds two years ago, takes the place of Jik-Jik Abdon in the Orchard lineup, giving the Cavite-based squad a solid mixture of youth and experience in its drive for a second straight win in what is also known as the country’s unofficial team championship.

Raymund Sangil will spearhead Orchard together with brothers King and Ace Stehmeier.

“If we play the way we have been practicing, then our chances of repeating are good,” said Sangil, who bared that the squad has been turning in impressive scores lately, numbers that are hovering close to level par each time.

Cebu CC, the 2012 and 2013 champion which will be fielding a balanced lineup bannered by senior standout and club president Ramontito Garcia, is Orchard’s main threat.

“We have a slightly shallower bench, but we will be there fighting,” said Bruce Chiongbian, the club’s golf manager and team official.

Cebu CC broke through in 2012 using a roster led by former national champion LJ Go.

Though the squad will be without Go and Gio Gandiongco, who are both on scholarships in the US, Cebu CC will still have its steady core of veterans plus the returning Mark Dy.

Dy tried it out for a year as a pro and is making his return to the lineup after a year’s absence as he provides added firepower to the crew that also has burly Bayani Garcia, Jovi Neri, former pro Carl Almario, Marco Sarmiento and many-time club champion and Cebu CC course record holder Eric Deen.

Hotel H20, Travelife, Boeing International Corp., Business Mirror and GE Aviation are sponsoring the PAL Interclub Seniors and Regular Men’s events. Other backers include Mareco Broadcasting Network (Crossover), People Asia Magazine, Whealth Inc., Aerospace, Uniglobe Travelware Co. Inc., Tanduay Distillers and Intercontinental Manila.