CEBU CITY—“Nothing’s in the bag, but we’ll be very hard to catch.”
With a nine-point lead and today’s last round set on home turf, that’s how Cebu Country Club skipper Ramontito Garcia put things in perspective yesterday after the Cebuanos closed in on a second straight PAL Interclub Men’s championship.
Finally taming the hard and tight Mactan Island Golf Club here, the Cebuanos assembled a day-best 125 points anchored on LJ Go’s even-par 72 worth 36 points for a 375 total and a solid lead over Alabang.
No other player in two days came close to matching par over the military-operated layout in Lapu Lapu City, and the 17-year-old Go will be one very interested spectator when the last-day lineup of Cebu CC—described by Garcia as “the strongest for us”—does the mop-up job.
“Yes, playing on our home course, we feel very confident,” Garcia said.
Former pro Carl Almario and Japanese teenager Gen Nagai chalked up 31s and Andre Borromeo’s 27 was the fourth score that counted for Cebu.
Nagai, Garcia, Marko Sarmiento, Eric Deen and Mark Dy will be Cebu CC’s final five.
Bayani Garcia, who shot one of two 32s for Cebu in the first round on Wednesday, failed to count with a 23.
AR Ramos returned a 34, Justin Quiban assembled a 31, Andres Saldaña had a 30 and Dax Garcia submitted 27 for youthful Alabang’s 122 that put the squad in second spot, two points ahead of Del Monte.
The 2011 champion Del Monte fielded the very same lineup that opened its campaign on Wednesday but got a slightly lower result. The Bukidnon par-busters were 11 points down going into the final 18 holes of the country’s unofficial team championship.
Francis Mondilla had a 31 to pace Del Monte. Noel Langamin and Jelbert Gomolo, who combined for 64 points in the first round, were good for just 29 each and Leonardo Lofranco added a 28.
Meanwhile, Ace Stehmeier and brother King amassed 32 and 27 points, respectively, and led Orchard to a third-round 108 points and the Founders Division lead over Southwoods also at Mactan.
TJ Benitez contributed 25 and Alan Arcilla 24 as Orchard totalled 340 for a one-point lead over charging Southwoods, which got 32 points from former national champion Jik-Jik Abdon.
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: 375—Cebu 120-130-125, 366—Alabang 116-128-122; 364—Del Monte 119-128-117; 278—Sta Elena 97-102-79; 210—Pearl Kai Hawaii 70-78-62; 193—Leyte 50-96-47; 184—Greenhills West 68-72-44; 176—Brotherhood 57-57-62; 166—SFO Heritage 47-68-51; 163—Vancouver Golf 58-66-39; 157—FilOz Sydney 50-60-47; 141—Van City 55-48-38; 133—South Bay 42-41-50; 129—40 Love Darwin 33-57-39; 129—Greater YVR 29-55-45; 101—Baguio 29-36-37; 96—Yokohama Eagles 28-46-22; 75—Kuwait 19-31-25
FOUNDERS: 340—Orchard 114-118-108, 337—Southwoods 105-123-109, 332—Negros 103-130-99, 321—Valley Golf 100-120-101, 315—Forest Hills 100-111-104, 310—Wack-wack 99-115-96, 304—Apo 103-106-95, 302—Alta Vista 100-109-93, 300—Villamor 102-105-93, 297—Palos Verdes 92-116-89, 286—Riviera 93-93-100, 285—Manila Golf 93-107-85, 282—Eagle Ridge 103-92-87, 279—Iligan 84-98-97, 266—Tagaytay Highlands 90-111-65
SPORTSWRITERS: 298—Club Filipino 99-100-99; 290—Zamboanga 108-83-99; 288—Saranggani 103-87-98; 287—Camp John Hay 95-83-109; 277—Bay Area 94-85-98; 270—Mactan 102-84-84; 263—Lumbia 85-84-94; 261—Red Hawk 101-64-96; 258—Sherwood Hills 85-83-90, Camp Evangelista 90-72-96; 257—Iloilo 81-82-94, Phil Navy 85-77-95; 252—Stanford 86-68-98, Pueblo DeOro 83-74-95; 250—Maharlika 84-82-84; 249—PGA BC 89-75-85; 244—FilAm Fairfield 83-71-90; 237—San Juanico 86-66-85, Guinhalaran 78-74-85; 236—FGA1 Riyadh 86-64-86, Bacolod 78-71-87; 230—UP Tee Jots 82-65-83; 228—Lanang 76-71-81;
FRIENDSHIP: 230—Filam Hawaii 87-85-58; 216—Pittsburg 68-73-75; 203—SFO Crystal Springs 56-61-86; 201—Northgate 71-67-63; 198 —Figme 70-60-68; 197—Gren Tee 60-61-76; 193—Cotabato 67-65-61