PAL golf lures record field

BACOLOD. – Another record-breaking roster will take to the fairways when the Philippine Airlines Interclub, the country’s most storied golf team tournament, stages its annual championships in Negros Occidental next week.

The 63rd edition of the regular Men’s Interclub, acknowledged as the national club championship of the Philippines, will be played from Feb. 24 to 27.

It will be preceded by the Seniors Interclub, a separate tournament for the clubs’ senior players, from Feb. 18 to 21.

As of Wednesday, a total of 157 clubs–82 in the Seniors division and 75 in the Men’s division–have signed up to play.

With each Seniors team made up of a maximum of eight players and a typical Men’s team counting a maximum of 10, organizers are expecting over 1,400 players to participate in what is touted to be arguably the largest-ever event in Philippine golf.

The 157 clubs already entered surpass last year’s previous-high attendance in Davao, where 150 contingents, divided into 75 Seniors and 75 Men’s clubs, played.

The current roster includes 39 international clubs in the Seniors and 32 in the Men’s division, both record highs as well. Among them are clubs from Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Guam, New Jersey and Florida in the United States; Vancouver, Canada; Sydney and Melbourne, Australia; and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The foreign teams are sure to add spice to an already competitive tournament, dominated the last four years by powerhouse Canlubang, the defending champions in both Seniors and Men’s play.

The Sugar Barons will gun for unprecedented fifth straight crowns in both divisions in Negros, a feat never before accomplished in PAL Interclub history.

Expected to crowd Canlubang for honors are perennial contenders Manila Southwoods and Del Monte in the Men’s tournament, and 13-time champion Luisita in the Seniors.

Also fancied is hot newcomer The Country Club, which pushed Canlubang hard last year in Davao before losing by just nine points in the Men’s finals.

The 63rd PAL Interclub, dubbed "Swing High in Bacolod," will be jointly played on the sugar-growing province’s two premier golf courses–the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club in downtown Bacolod City and the Bacolod Golf and Country Club in nearby Murcia.

Both par-70 layouts have hosted the Interclub many times in the past, including the milestone 50th championships in 1997 and, most recently, the 61st tournament in 2008.

This year’s competition is backed by platinum sponsors Airbus, Boeing, 105.1 Crossover and Radio Mindanao Network.

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