With seniors crown in trophy case, Del Monte chases men’s title

Yoyong Velez (fourth from left) celebrates with the rest of the Del Monte team after formalizing title romp. —PAL PHOTO

CAGAYAN DE ORO—It was the most logical question to ask Del Monte, which on Sunday broke through as champion in the centerpiece division of Seniors play in the Philippine Airlines Interclub golf tournament.

And playing skipper Yoyong Velez’s reply was also the most logical thing for him to say, not that he doesn’t have the tools to back it up.

“Yes, we will definitely go for a sweep. We have a chance to do that,” Velez told the Inquirer, which asked him if a similar homegrown team can duplicate a title conquest in the Regular Men’s division that starts on Wednesday at Pueblo de Oro here.

READ: ‘Homegrown’ Del Monte finally makes Senior breakthrough

“We know both courses well, like in the Seniors division which we took advantage of,” he said. “We will definitely be in the fight.”

Romeo Jaraula and Crispin Aparilla, stalwarts of the victorious Seniors team, will be seeing action in Men’s play together with Velez, the grizzled veteran who will be the stabilizer in the youth-laden squad nurtured in the gem inside the vast pineapple plantation.

Manila Southwoods is the overwhelming favorite, the club being the most dominant program this tournament has seen after the likes of Professional Golfers’ Association Tour star Tom Kim and DP World Tour standout Yuto Katsuragawa bannered its teams in the past. INQ