Luisita will return to the site of its last Seniors triumph in the Philippine Airlines Interclub next week, with the club flying in a team to Cebu that has experience and the firepower to win out in what is now seen as a four-cornered fight for the centerpiece title.
“We are hopeful because we have a very balanced team, and we are playing again in Cebu,” non-playing skipper Jeric Hechanova told the Inquirer over the phone Saturday. “All of (the players) have been playing well lately.”
Bitter rival Canlubang is the defending champion, and unlike other teams which have beefed up by adding newly-graduated seniors, the Sugar Barons will be led by the ageless Tommy Manotoc and Abe Rosal at Alta Vista and Club Filipino in Danao, courses of different characters that could play tricks on the field.
“That’s why our players are practicing on courses similar to those,” Hechanova, who steered the Luisitans to the title in 2019 in Cebu, said. “That’s the only way to get a feel because both (Alta Vista and Club Filipino) are very different.”
Marty Ilagan makes his Interclub debut in the 55-and-over class together with Ronnie Littaua and Steve McDonald, a trio that Hechanova said is capable of overpowering both courses.
“We have younger players, and that’s a big advantage because of their length,” Hechanova said. “But like I always say, we can’t wait for the other teams to play bad. In order to win, we need to play well all four days.”
Manila Southwoods and Del Monte, in Hechanova’s view, are the other teams capable of winning next week, although he reserves his biggest concern on the Sugar Barons.
“Canlubang is so complete and experienced,” he said.
Teams will be made up of eight players each, with four to play in a day and a player able to see action for just two rounds. Only the top three scores will count for the team output for the day.