Marc Gonzalez of Cebu Country Club pitches from the bunker on hole No. 9 during the 2nd round of the 70th PAL Interclub Golf Tournament at the Apo Golf and Country Club in Davao City.
(CDN PHOTO/TONEE DESPOJO)
Bayani Garcia leads CCC’s big rebound in 2nd round of 70th PAL Men’s Interclub
Davao City— Cebu Country Club (CCC) leaned on the inspired performance of its second round crew Thursday to leapfrog from seventh to second in the Founder’s division midway through the 70th Philippine Airlines (PAL) Inter-Club Golf Tournament at the Apo Golf and Country Club, here.
From a disappointing 113 points on Wednesday, the defending titlist Cebuanos finally bared their championship fangs with a second round 122 points and a two-day total of 235. That’s merely four points from current leader Orchard Golf and Country Club which pooled 239 points after scoring 116 yesterday behind King Stehmeier’s 34 points.
Riviera Golf is lying in third spot with 233 points after yesterday’s 117 while Forest Hills Golf and Country Club is in fourth with 232.
Bayani Garcia led the Cebuanos’ massive comeback with an even par 36 points in a course the former junior standout is very familiar with. Garcia said he’s comfortable playing at Apo since he lived in Davao City for four years and used to play in the tree-lined course.
“I’ve studied this course before. I used to play in Apo when I studied here in Davao for four years so it was easy for me. This course is tough and it requires patience and I was able to do that and put up a good score,” Garcia said.
Garcia had three bogeys and birdies on holes 8, 13 and 16.
Backing up Garcia were Marc Gonzales with 31 points, Harvey Sytiongsa with 28 and Andy Borromeo with 27.
CCC team captain Ramontito “Montito” Garcia is confident CCC will play even better in today’s third round still at Apo.
He said that they will be fielding back Garcia and hopes the lead will be theirs at Friday’s end.
“Last Wednesday, without Pio Neri’s score, we would have been out of the competition. But still we were only 10 down and today we looked very good.
If we play our normal games tomorrow (today) I think we can take the lead. We’ve been down a lot of times, much worse than 10 points but managed to come back and win the title,” Garcia said.
In the Championship division, Manila Southwoods soared to a 14-point lead with 272 against Canlubang Country Club’s 258 points. Del Monte is in third with 238.
Alta still in 3rd place
In the Aviators division, Alta Vista Country Club remains in third place by scoring 88 points yesterday for a two-day total of 181 points at the challenging Palos Verde Golf Course.
Baltaire Balangauan led Alta Vista with 28 points backed by Taeyun Kung (21), Avelino Zambo Jr. (20) Wendell Yap (19).
Sherwood Hills Golf Club remains in the lead with 219 points followed by Lumbia Golf and Country Club with 211 points.