CEBU CITY – Order was restored at the 33rd Philippine Airlines Seniors Interclub golf team championships Thursday with defending champion Canlubang taking a slim two-point lead over long-time rival Luisita in a controversy-laden second round at the Club Filipino de Cebu.
Luisita had earlier taken a seven-point lead after outscoring Canlubang, 147-140, but a protest filed later in the day led to the disqualification of one of its players.
Benjie Sumulong had signed for 52, including an erroneous par in one hole that should have been bogey.
Luisita non-playing captain Jeric Hechanova, in a gesture of sportsmanship, called tournament director Henry Arabelo to inform Sumulong’s infraction.
As a result, Rafael Garcia’s 43 counted along with Rodel Mangulabnan’s 50 and Demy Saclot’s 45 as Luisita ended up with 138 points.
Luisita now trails Canlubang, 278-276.
Canlubang struggled for the second straight day, scoring 140 behind a pair of 48s from Abe Rosal and Damasus Wong and a 44 from Zaldy Villa.
Abe Rosal, last year’s individual champion in Bacolod City, failed to break 50 following a round of one birdie against seven bogeys.
No Canlubang player has scored more than 48 points after two rounds.
A day after taking the lead on opening day, Cebu Country Club slowed down with 131 points, but remained five shots behind Canlubang.
Newcomer Jufil Sato was CCC’s top scorer with 46 with Nelson Yuvallos adding 43. The 42 of either Montito Garcia or Lorenzo Alaan rounded out scoring.
Del Monte Golf Club brought up the rear in the championship bracket with 129 and 267 total.
Arsenio Mondilla led Del Monte with 44 followed by Erning Apas 43 and Antonio Arancon 42.
In the second-tier Founders division also played at the Club Filipino de Cebu, Orchard hung on to a five-point lead over Negros Occidental.
Orchard, led by Dong Jin Tak’s 48 points, finished the day with 125 points to boost its total to 266.
Negros Occidental got a big lift from Francis Gaston’s 50 points to tally 136 and 261 overall.
Valley took third spot with 255 following a 123.
This year’s Interclub is sponsored by Radio Mindanao Network, Asian Air Safari, and Vanguard Radio Network. Also extending support are ABS-CBN Global Ltd. (The Filipino Channel), Rolls Royce, Primax Broadcasting Network, UM Broadcasting Network (Mindanao), Fox Sports, Cignal TV, GECAS, Boeing, Lufthansa Technik AG, Manila Standard, Marco Polo Plaza Cebu, Dusit Thani Manila, and Casino Filipino. Official hotel is Quest Hotel Conference Center Cebu.
The complete results after two rounds:
CHAMPIONSHIP – Canlubang 278 (138-140), Luisita 276 (138-138), Cebu Country Club 273 (142-131), Del Monte 267 (138-129)
