CLARK FIELD, Pampanga—With a lineup that looks very different from the one that triumphed last year, Manila Southwoods opens defense of its PAL Interclub Men’s Championship division title starting today in what is seen to be a six-way fight.
Able to tap its young talents with the centerpiece division again deemed open, Southwoods parades a team of young guns in the 72-hole event with at least five other sides capable of dethroning the defending champions in the country’s unofficial team golf championship.
Canlubang is foremost of them, with the Sugar Barons making a return in the tournament featuring a lineup that is nothing short of an all-star roster.
Orchard is again deemed as a solid threat and Luisita, Del Monte and Cebu Country Club tagged as darkhorses.
Southwoods will be represented by a bevy of young turks led by Justin Quiban and reigning club champion Yuto Katsuragawa, a frail-looking, 16-year-old rookie who could turn out to be the surprise of this Interclub.
“They have a solid team, and then there is Canlubang and Orchard, in that order,” Luisita official Jeric Hechanova told the Inquirer yesterday afternoon, minutes before his players wound up practice at the Mountain View layout of the Mimosa Complex here.
Jobim Carlos and Rupert Zaragosa multiple winners of national championships in recent years, spearhead the Sugar Barons’ charge as action opens up at Mountain View, with Carlos to come out in one of the late flights for Canlubang.
“I think, on paper, we have a very solid team,” Carlos said, also after his final practice round. “We lost in 2011 (the final year that Canlubang played), and it would be nice if we can win again this year.
“We have a good chance of winning, but it will be a very tough four days,” Carlos, who will turn pro after this tournament, said.
“Southwoods and Orchard are there. They have very good players, also.”
Orchard won this event two years ago and will have basically the same balanced lineup that triumphed in Bacolod.
Raymund Sangil, King Stehmeier and Rodel Mangulabnan are the main players for Orchard, while Luisita will be parading a team of youngsters led by Basti Lorenzo and Dan Cruz with senior standout Jingy Tuason activated after the late withdrawal of Santi Lorenzo.
The Interclub is sponsored by People Asia, Travelife, Mareco Broadcasting Network (Crossover), Manila Broadcasting Corporation, Airbus, Business Mirror and Philippine National Bank.
Other supporters are Inquirer, Inquirer.net, Plantation Bay Resort and Spa, Tanduay Distillers, Asia Brewery, Splash Corporation, RFM Corporation, Goldilocks, Eastgate Publishing Corporation, Robinsons Land and Rolls-Royce.
Titles in the Founders, Aviators, Sportswriters and Friendship divisions will also be staked.