DAVAO—With a chance to write team history, Manila Southwoods acknowledges that it has a slight edge over the field when the 70th Philippine Airlines Interclub’s men’s championship is played over two varying courses here starting Wednesday.
“Yes, we have a good chance,” non-playing captain Jerome Delariarte said on Monday as the Carmona-based parbusters set out as the overwhelming favorites to win for the third straight year what is regarded as the country’s unofficial golf team championship.
“The team is young and well-prepared,” the mild-mannered Delariarte continued as the team will be led by talented Japanese Yuto Katsuragawa and former junior world champion Kristoffer Arevalo.
“But there’s a lot of work to be done, still.”
Using a youth-centered program, Southwoods won in Cebu in 2015 and then in Pampanga last year, but, for the first time, will be without the prolific Justin Quiban, who turned pro after the win at Mimosa in Clark Field.
And that gives the reedy 18-year-old Katsuragawa, undoubtedly one of the finest amateurs in the land, the chance to lead this team.
Canlubang, which finished second last year, is again tipped as the likely challenger as Rupert Zaragosa returns for yet another tour of duty with the club that brought him to prominence.
“We’ll be there giving our best,” Cangolf team owner Luigi Yulo told the Inquirer. “But there’s no doubt that Southwoods is the favorite to win.”
An interesting sidelight would be the chase for the individual championship which Katsuragawa and Zaragosa are expected to dominate.
To be eligible, a player must play both courses once during the four-day event.
Aidric Chan, Ira Alido, Carl Corpus and Tom Kim are three other teenagers in the Southwoods roster. Action opens up at tree-lined Apo Golf.