Men’s division tees off

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

AS THE 65th PAL Interclub tees off in Davao City, one image is most prominent all throughout the city.  It is that of Cebu Country Club’s (CCC) Mark Anthony Dy, which graces all the promo material for this tournament dubbed as Swing Back Davao set to open today at the Apo Golf Club and Rancho Palos Verdes in Davao.

From the airport to the tournament venue and to any place promoting the tournament, one cannot miss the picture of a golfer in a cap swinging his driver.

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Dy, who has been a fixture with the team since 2001, was surprised when he realized his photo was chosen by the organizers to be the image of the tournament.

“That was from Del Monte back in 2004,” said the unassuming Dy, who immediately recognized the image. “My hair was short back then and I used to wear a cap and this particular one was special since it had Frankie Miñoza’s autograph.”

The new rules established last year enabled the tournament to go back to its roots as being a competition among dues-paying bonafide club members, as opposed to “hired guns” who would loiter in the Championship Division.

Dy’s image was taken from an era when the CCC team won 7 of 9 Founders Division titles, and Dy once scored a division-record 40 points in Del Monte.

CCC will try to usurp the overall title from defending champion Del Monte golf team as the men’s division starts today.

Del Monte will try to rewrite history when it seeks to win a back-to-back crown.

And without rival Canlubang golf team, the Bukidnon-based Del Monte has strong chances of retaining the crown it won in Cagayan de Oro City last year.

If they win, Del Monte will triumph for the first time outside their home turf.Both titles they have so far were both won in Bukidnon and Cagayan de Oro.The first was in the middle of the last decade by a team built around former Del Monte caddy Buboy Jaraulla.

Canlubang, which won the Seniors division title last Sunday behind the heroics of Tommy Manotoc, will not have a chance to grab the limelight as it begged off from participating in the men’s  regular divisionbecause some of its players decided to jump to the professional ranks.

Banny Abaño and former national champion Clyde Mondilla will spearhead Del Monte’s quest against the likes of last year’s runner-up CCC, Negros Golf and Country Club, Forest Hills and looming darkhorse Wack Wack.

The other Cebu teams in the tournament are Alta Vista, Mactan and Club Filipino de Cebu.

Wack Wack golf squad lured Manotoc and his two sons, Matthew and Gabriel, into the team, which made the Mandaluyong-based golfers suddenly look formidable. (PR)