Abe Rosal blasts out of a greenside trap. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
BACOLOD CITY—Defending champion Luisita outscored Canlubang at tricky Binitin on Friday to draw level after three rounds and make the final day of play in the 34th Philippine Airlines Senior Interclub as a gut-wrenching affair at Marapara.
Bouncing back from mediocre second day efforts, Benjie Sumulong and Rodel Mangulabnan led the big Luisita fightback with three-over-par 73s worth 51 points each, as the Luisitans pooled 149 points to catch the Sugar Barons at 426 overall.“We got the job done by beating them on the third day,” said Luisita captain Jeric Hechanova. “It’s going to be fun and exciting [on Saturday].”
Raffy Garcia’s 47 counted for Luisita, which came from three points down in the final round in Cebu last year to pip the Barons.
The ageless Tommy Manotoc led the Barons with 49 points, with Abe Rosal and Rene Unson chipping in 48 each for Cangolf’s 145.
“It’s good. We are excited to play the final round,” said Canlubang skipper Tony Olives, who will rely on second day top scorer Rolly Viray.
Cebu Country Club was 20 points down in third place with NOGCC settling for fourth with 400.
Cebu CC drew 50 points from Kyu Ok-on, 46 from Kim Kwang-seok and 44 from Ramontito Garcia.
Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club (NOGCC), on the other hand, leaned on Jimmy Yusay (44), Alec Lustre (43) and Stephen Paduano (42).
In the Founders division, Del Monte Golf Club retained an 18-point lead over Orchard after both squads finished with 136 points apiece.
Hosted by Philippine Airlines, the international event is backed by platinum sponsors Asian Air Safari, Vanguard Radio Network, Fox Networks Group, Radio Mindanao Network Inc., Asian Journal Publications Philippines Inc., Auto Nation Group Inc. (Mercedes Benz), and SMDC.
Major sponsors include The Boeing Co., University of Mindanao Broadcasting Network, Avolon Aerospace Singapore Pte. Ltd., Manila Broadcasting Co., Primax Broadcasting, Rolls-Royce Singapore Pte. Ltd., CIGNAL TV Inc., Travellers International Hotel Group Inc. (Resorts World), and Airbus.
Other supporters are Uniglobe Travelware Co. Inc. (The Travel Club), Philippine Manila Standard Publishing Inc. (Manila Standard), Officine Corp., GE Aviation, SEDA Hotels, BDO Unibank, Smart Communications Inc., People Asia Magazine, A+E Networks Asia (History), Allianz PNB Life, Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, Tanduay Brands, Rockwell Land Corp., Petron Corp., Splash Corp., AB Heineken Philippines Inc., and Asia Brewery Inc.-Summit.