Pueblo stays in front by 3

CEBU CITY—Surprise frontrunner Pueblo de Oro clung to the Championship division lead it was ready to give up yesterday with Luisita managing to close the gap to just three points after the second round of Seniors play at the 66th PAL Interclub golf tournament here.

Paced by Victor Yuvallos and first-round top scorer Clifford Celdran, the Pueblo bets from Cagayan de Oro couldn’t believe they were still on top with a 36-hole total of 285 after amassing 132 points at the tough Club Filipino de Cebu course.

Luisita halved Pueblo’s overnight lead with a 135 for the day and a two-round 282 total even as defending champion Canlubang stayed within two off its perennial rival with a 135-280 effort.

Cebu Country Club, relegated to the Founders Division despite contending for the title last year, submitted the day’s best output of 141 and matched Luisita’s total as Montito Garcia, the club president, accounted for the round’s top score of 49.

Alta Vista moved up to second at 278 while defending Founders champion Manila Golf dropped to third at 273.

Yuvallos chalked up 47 points and Celdran, who scored 55 from a 1-under-par 71 at Alta Vista Thursday, came up with 45 to pace the individual derby among the early 36-hole finishers with 100. Ed Yap was the third scorer again with 40.

But Pueblo does not expect to stay on top for long with its new set of four players who will be seeing action in the last two rounds still stranded in Cagayan de Oro at presstime. Even if they make it on time, all four, without the benefit of a practice round, would be competing practically blind on both courses.

Pepot Iñigo led Luisita with 47 points, Francis Gaston added a 46 and Seve Roxas-Chua counted last with a 42.

Team manager Luigi Yulo and Dave Hernandez had identical 46 points while skipper Tony Olives completed the scoring for Canlubang with 43.

Supporting Cebu spearhead Garcia, runner-up to the absent Tommy Manotoc of Canlubang in individual play last year, was Koichi Horii and Lor Alaan with 46s.

With their great run, the Cebuanos threatened to become the first team from a lower division to win the overall title in the 55-and-above age bracket.

Texas and SFO Crystal Springs showed the way in the Sportswriters division at 234 while Sharp Brotherhood was on top in the Friendship class with 198.

This year’s PAL Interclub is sponsored by 105.1 Crossover, Solar Sports, Plantation Bay Resort and Spa, 92.3 FM Radyo 5, Araneta Coliseum and AXN. Major sponsors are Airbus, Manila Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine Broadcasting Network, People Asia, Radio Mindanao Network, Business Mirror and ABS-CBN The Filipino Channel (TFC).

Corporate sponsors include Radisson Blu Hotel, Shangri-La Resort  & Spa, Boeing, Inquirer Golf Magazine, Philippines Graphic and Manila Bulletin.

The scores:

CHAMPIONSHIP—Pueblo de Oro 285 (153-132); Luisita 282 (147-135); Canlubang 280 (145-135); Fil-Am Fairfield 242 (119-123); Team Kingfisher 235 (120-115); Forest Hills 228 (123-105); Filcansa 218 (102-116); Bacolod 213 (108-105); YVR BC 211 (112-99); Team Brookside 208 (103-105); Cotabato 206 (98-108); Mabuhay Las Vegas 198 (108-90); Victorias 195 (97-98); Austral Asian 194 (101-93); 40 Love Darwin 189 (81-108); Bay City 179 (103-76); Greenhills West 179 (103-76); Canphil 166 (82-84); Club 1872 162 (87-75); Melbourne Pinoy 140 (73-67)

FOUNDERS—Cebu 282 (141-141); Alta Vista 278 (142-136); Manila Golf 273 (146-127); Eagle Ridge 268 (136-132); Valley 268 (136-132); Red Hawk 264 (145-119)

SPORTSWRITERS—Texas 234 (104-130); SFO Crystal Springs 234 (114-120); Mabuhay SFO 228 (106-122); San Juanico 228 (118-110); Fil-Am Florida 226 (106-120); San Juanico 228 (118-110); Fil-Am Florida 226 (106-120); Team Coral Ocean Point 225 (120-105); Lanang 224 (115-109); Veterans 223 (108-105); Taotaomona 222 (97-125); Sarangani 221 (112-109); Club Intramuros 221 (111-110); Zamboanga 220 (103-117); Iligan 219 (105-114); Southbay 219 (110-109); Iloilo 217 (106-111); Guinhalaran 213 (106-107); South Cotabato 211 (106-105); UP Tee Jots 199 (89-110); Lumbia 193 (90-103); Travelers SFO 191 (88-103)

FRIENDSHIP—Sharp Brotherhood 198 (95-103); Fil-AM SFO 187 (92-95); Pittsburgh 184 (93-91); Mt. Malindang 179 (80-99); Sienna 181 (82-99); Skywest 175 (84-91); 99; Ft. Bonifacio 169 (71- 98) ;SFO Alliance 168 (69-99);  Leyte 168 (75-93)