Sunday, March 02, 2008 Sugar Barons complete amazing ride By Charles Raymond A. Maxey
BACOLOD CITY -- This has become a familiar scene. Canlubang players and chief backers Luigi Yulo and Tommy Manotoc celebrating on the green on a Saturday under a bright sky, everyone flashing wide grins and raising his hand after another triumphant campaign.
Yet, there seems to be no satisfaction on the part of the Sugar Barons in the Philippine Airlines (PAL) Interclub as they promised to come back year after year to try to win more crowns and carve their names in the country's longest and most prestigious golf championship.
"We don't want to stop winning," said Yulo, Canlubang team owner, after his team completed another amazing ride by ruling the 61st PAL Interclub in runaway fashion Saturday at the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club.
Never mind that Canlubang scored its lowest output in the tournament, 129 points, the team still came away with a commanding 34-point victory over Manila Southwoods with its four-day total of 534 points.
Jonel Ababa and Paul Echavez each fired 33 points and Mark Fernando had 32 for Canlubang. The fourth scorer could come from either Peter Villaber or Jessie Balasabas, who made 31 apiece.
Southwoods scored just 126 in the final day and never really mounted a challenge to end up second placer again. Southwoods tallied 500 points, while Del Monte finished with 490.
Canlubang completed a double victory for the third straight time after its senior's team won last week.
The three-peat sweep this year also allowed Canlubang to match the historic performance of Luisita which won both the men's and senior's crowns for three straight years from 1991 to 1993. The 34-point advantage also tied the biggest winning margin in PAL Interclub history.
"Winning is always a thrill. We never get tired of it," Yulo said.
When the 62nd PAL Interclub returns to Davao City next year, Canlubang expects to go all out for another victory. And Canlubang's Tommy Manotoc is very confident of their chances.
"They will even get better," said Manotoc who, together with Yulo, treated the whole team to a late but hearty lunch at a Japanese restaurant located just above the Marapara clubhouse.
Platinum sponsors Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, GE Aviation, MTV Philippines and Solar Sports back the 61st edition of the PAL Interclub.
The major sponsors are Action Asia, Business Mirror, Crossover, Pacsports and Royal Caribbean.
Fortune Tobacco, Gecas, MasterCard, People Asia and RMN are the corporate sponsors, while Bombo Radyo, Callaway Golf, Century Park Hotel, Lufthansa Technik and Patio Pacific Boracay are the minor sponsors.
