Friday, February 24, 2006
Canlubang overtakes Southwoods by 11 points
By Charles Raymond A. Maxey
CANLUBANG leaned on recruits from Davao City Thursday at the Apo Golf and Country Club to vault into the lead halfway through the 59th Philippine Airlines (PAL) Interclub Championship Division.
Utilizing Davao shotmakers who know the scenic Apo course like the back of their hands, Canlubang had a blistering second round of 144 to take an 11-point lead over defending champion and first-day leader Manila Southwoods.
Counting its earlier round of 135, Canlubang has a two-day total of 279.
Jonel Ababa, fresh from his victory in the 2005 National Caddies Open, and Jay Bayron, another topnotch Davao player, each had 37 points to spearhead Canlubang's fiery round on a fine day that made the majestic Mt. Apo visible all day.
Ababa's house is just a stone's throw away from the Apo course.
Mark Fernando made a 36 and Mark Labajo, another homegrown talent, had a 34 to backstop Ababa and Bayron's one-under performances. Boyet Zaragoza's 32 did not count.
Southwoods, after a huge start Wednesday with 144 at the Rancho Palos Verdes Golf and Country Club, took a nosedive yesterday with 123 points, completely baffled by the tricky Apo course where one wayward shot and wrong clubbing could mean disaster.
Save for Mike Bibat and Edwin Vinluan's 35 and 31, respectively, no one from Southwoods had scored better than 30. Gene Bondoc had 29 and Jong Laput 28.
It was a far cry from its 145 a day earlier which gave Southwoods the early lead.
Southwoods is at 268 and must come up with a better round today if it wants to keep its title in the country's acknowledged national team championship.
Del Monte, the 2004 winner, likewise failed to get its game going.
After opening up with 136, Del Monte had an even worse second round of 129 for 265, 14 points off the leader.
In the Founders Division, Wack Wack is on top after two rounds with 236 points. Sta. Elena and Cebu are tied for second place at 222, 14 behind the pacesetter.
This year's major sponsors are Action Asia, Airbus, Boeing, GE Aviation, GMA7, Honda Cars Davao, INQ7.net, Joey 92.3, Royal Caribbean International, Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp., People Asia, Premier Wine and Spirits, Rudy Project, UMBN and Uraya Land Development Corp.
ABS-CBN International, Fortune Tobacco and Radio Mindanao Network are the corporate sponsors, with 96.3 Wrock, Asia Brewery, Century Park Hotel, Honda Megamotors, SM City Davao and Tanduay Rhum.
For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (February 24, 2006 issue)
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