Thursday, February 15, 2007 PAL Interclub draws 78 teams in Seniors event
SEVENTY-eight teams from all over the country and 31 foreign are competing in the seniors division of the 60th Philippine Airlines Interclub, universally acknowledged as the national golf team championship of the Philippines, that gets underway here on Friday (Feb. 16).
Twenty teams hail from Luzon, 14 from the Visayas and 13 from Mindanao. Providing international flavor are clubs from the United States, Australia, Saudi Arabia, China and Canada.
The seniors competition, confined to players who are 55 or older, takes place from Feb. 16 to 18, after which the centerpiece 60th Men's Regular tournament takes over from Feb. 21 to 24.
Hosting the tournament PAL executives conceptualized in 1947 and launched the following year are Pueblo de Oro Golf & Country Club, situated on a 350-meter plateau above this city, and Del Monte Golf and Country Club in nearby Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon.
Big numbers "Once again, we have the big numbers and we are not surprised," said PAL senior assistant vice president for Mindanao Domingo T. Duerme, the Interclub chairman.
"After all, we are marking our 60th year, which makes the PAL Interclub the country's longest-running amateur golf tournament," Duerme said.
"With almost 400 players from all over the world taking part, it is truly our national clubs championship. On this note, I would like to welcome all our guests as well as our sponsors once more," he added.
Leading the teams competing for bragging rights within the country's golfing fraternity is defending champion Canlubang, which swept both division titles last year in Davao City.
Favorites
Expected to challenge the Laguna par busters in their bids for their 14th regular crown and second seniors title are Manila Southwoods, local favorite Del Monte and perennial contender Luisita.
The traditional hitting of the ceremonial drives will kick off the Seniors championship at 8 a.m. to be capped with the team captains' meeting an hour later at the Del Monte clubhouse.
Special guests are Bukidnon governor Jose Ma. R. Zubiri, Manolo Fortich Mayor Socorro O. Acosta, Del Monte Philippines general manager Luis F. Alejandro and Pueblo de Oro Development Corp. vice president and general manager Rodolfo Menes. They will join PAL president Jaime Bautista and Duerme in hitting the ceremonial drives for the Seniors event.
