Luisita rookies erect 8-shot lead

CLARK FIELD, Pampanga—The rookies delivered as promised and powered Luisita to an eight-point lead over defending champion Canlubang at the start of the 69th Philippine Airlines Seniors Interclub Thursday at Mimosa Golf and Country Club here.

Vicente “Jingy” Tuason shot the day’s best score of 3-over-par 75 at Mountainview course for 51 points and Luis “Chito” Laureta backed him up with 50 as the Tarlac-based squad seized the initiative with a 146 total.

Philippine Sports Commission chair Richie Garcia rounded out the team’s three-man output with a 45 with Pepot Inigo failing to count with a 43.

Canlubang struggled with 138 points with Abraham “Abe” Avena leading the scoring with a 47 despite a zero on the 18th for putting with the aid of an umbrella girl. Dave Hernandez added 46 and Mari Hechanova’s 45 counted, with Tony Olives managing just a 43.

Team captain Jeric Hechanova had boasted of a strong Luisita bid this time with Tuason, Laureta and Benjie Sumulong joining the 55-year-old event for the first time as replacement for veterans led by former national amateur and senior champion Francis Gaston.

“There are three more days left but we’re happy to be in the lead,” said Hechanova.

But Luisita can’t ignore the fact that it also took an eight-point lead in the first round in Cebu before Canlubang rallied to finish with a 17-point margin overall.

Tommy Manotoc, the spearhead of last year’s big Canlubang finish, gets going today even as Luisita responds by fielding its own star in Eddie Bagtas.

Negros Occidental, which has Gaston and another former Luisita mainstay in Iggy Clavecilla now in its lineup, grabbed a two-point lead over Eagle Ridge with 130 in the new Aviator division. Club 1872 showed the way in the Sportswriters division with 117 while Moffet Field paced the Friendship class with 98.

Tournament sponsors: People Asia, Travelife, Mareco Broadcasting Network,( Crossover), Manila Broadcasting Corporation, Airb us, Business Mirror and Philippine National Bank

Other supporters: Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inquirer.net, Plantation Bay Resort and Spa, Tanduay Distillers, Asia Brewery, Splash Corp., RFM Corp., Goldilocks, Eastgate Publishing corp., Robinsonsland and Rolls- Royce.
The scores:

CHAMPIONSHIP: Luisita 146; Canlubang 138.
FOUNDERS: Mimosa 151; Pueblo de Oro 133; Manila Golf 131; Cebu Country Club 128; Orchard 128.
AVIATOR: Negros OGC 130; Eagle Ridge 128; Manila Southwoods, Riviera 121; Wack Wack 117; Valley 118; Team Palos Verdes, Veterans 116; Fil-Am Hawaii 115; Phil. Navy 112; Coral Ocean Point, Davao City GC 111; South Bay, C. John Hay, Apo 110; Iligan 96; Benneth Val. 73; Victorias 70.
SPORTSWRITERS: Club 1872 Los Angeles 117; Sarangani Golf Club 114; Team Paoay 109; Club Intramuros 108; Van City, Guinhalaran 105; Fil-Oz Sydney 104; SF Heritage 103; Lumbia 99; Travelers 88; IAGC 84; Guam Compadres 82; Mabuhay GC of SFO 81; Fil-Am New Jersey 78; Pinoy Vancouver 77; Sandbaggers GC of Vancouver 69.
FRIENDSHIP: Moffet Field 98; Canphil GA 96; Bacolod 95; Tri-City GC 87; West Covina Warriors 82; Guam 70; San Francisco Alliance 69; Pittsburgh Fil-Am, Melbourne Pinoy Golf 68; Cotabato 66