PAL golf: Cebu CC eyes ‘statement’ start

CEBU CITY—While most clubs keep the identities of their starters close to their chest, Cebu Country Club bared a strong opening lineup as it starts its chase for its own piece of Philippine Airlines Interclub Men’s championship history today at little-known Mactan Island Golf Club here.

LJ Go, a 17-year-old who sparked a hot start for the Cebuanos in Davao last year at tough, tree-lined Apo Golf, has again been called upon to do the same at the military-operated layout in Lapu-Lapu City, leading a five that also includes former pro Carl Almario.

Team official Jeric Hechanova, a man no stranger to steering clubs to PAL championships, said that they would want to open strong and make a statement early as they have tapped Bayani Garcia, lawyer Jovi Neri and Mark Dy to join Go and Almario.

“We want to come up with an opening day effort that would announce that we are really dead serious in repeating as champions,” Hechanova said.

Del Monte, which Cebu CC unseated last year, Alabang, a squad made up mostly of juniors, and Southwoods are the other teams to watch, according to Hechanova.

Mactan is a par-72 course with hard fairways and very slow greens and most of those in the championship division who sampled the layout for the final time yesterday were shaking their heads in disbelief at how adverse conditions are compared to Cebu Country Club.

Cebu CC is the other venue, and it will host the second and fourth rounds and Hechanova, without sounding boastful, is confident that no squad in the field can outscore them once action goes to their homecourt.

“That’s why we want to have a big lead (in the first round) and then come up with a steady lineup that could sustain the lead in the next two rounds,” Hechanova, who helped assemble four championship teams for Southwoods in the last decade, said.

“And when the fourth round comes, we will come up with the strongest lineup possible.”

“They are still the team to beat,” lefty Andres Saldaña of Alabang told the Inquirer over breakfast. “But we still like our chances.”

Saldaña, an 18-year-old, can be considered as one of the most experienced in the Alabang lineup, which also has Keanue Jahns and 15-year-old Gabriel Manotoc.

Del Monte will be bannered by the standouts of its ex-caddies program that won for the Bukidnon-based bets the title in 2011.

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.