Cebuano teams sizzle

Two Cebuano teams are leading their respective divisions as the 66th Philippine Airlines Interclub’s Men’s championship division heads into the penultimate day today at the Cebu Country Club (CCC) and the Mactan Island Golf Club.

Defending champion Cebu Country Club managed to pull off a three-point advantage over closest pursuer Del Monte in the Championship division while Club Filipino snatched the lead in the Sportswriters’ division after a fourth-place finish in Day 1.

After two days of competition, CCC stayed on top with 250 points despite having Ramontito Garcia’s 29 points thrown away, while Bukidnon-based Del Monte is at second with 247 points.

CCC finished with 130 points in yesterday’s second round anchored by the two-over-par 74 performance of Marko Sarmiento worth 34 points. Jovi Neri and veteran member Eric Deen each contributed 33 points while the rest of the team’s points was chipped in by Andre Borromeo, who finished with 30.

“A lead is still a lead, we’re still very happy. Tomorrow, if we increase our lead, the better. Our strongest lineup will still be on the final day, hopefully our experience (of the Cebu Country Club course) counts,” Garcia said after his game.

Lawrence Cubillo and Reymon Jaraulla assembled 33s and Magnao Arancon returned a 32 to make up Del Monte’s 128 and 247 overall.

Jets Sajulga, who scored a birdie at the par 3 15th hole, counted as the fourth scorer with his 30 for Del Monte, the 2011 champions who discarded the 28 of Julius Bautista.

Keanu Jahns, a 6-foot-2 half-German, returned the tournament’s first sub-par card in the division’s final flight, a 69 worth 39 points to usher Alabang to a second day 125 that kept it in third spot, now five points behind the pace.

SPORTSWRITERS

DIVISION

Club Filipino took the lead after a 100-point performance for a total of 199. The team, which improved its fourth-place finish on the first day, relegated Day 1 leader Zamboanga to second place.

Leading Club Filipino were Hospicio Razon, who posted the highest point at 27, Fernando Mondares with 26, Jufil Sato with 24 and BaltaireBalangauan with 23.

Zamboanga’s second-round score of 83 was courtesy of Isaac Elumba with 27, Emir Abutazil and Patrick Lee both with 19 and Joseph Dy with 18 points.

Saranggani dropped to third place with 87 for a total of 190 points, replacing another Cebuano team Mactan Island, which dropped to fourth with 84 for a total of 186. Mactan Island was manned by Pio Barandog (27), Gerardo Catindoy (24), Elvis Jequinto (19) and Kim Eric Agatep (14).

OTHER DIVISIONS

In the Founders Division, Negros improved from third place on Day 1 by seizing the lead from Orchard by just a point.

Negros finished with 233 while Day 1 leader Orchard dropped to second with 232.

Negros shot 130 while Orchard only managed 118 in yesterday’s second round of competition.

Chris Infante and Jae Woo-yang each scored 33 points while veteran Francis Gaston and Chepe Dulay added 32s to allow Negros to squeak past Orchard.

From the second place, Southwoods dropped to third place with its 123 points.