DAVAO CITY—Of the two playing venues for the 70th Philippine Arlines (PAL) Interclub golf championship here, participants dread the tree-lined Apo Golf and Country Club compared with the well-manicured Rancho Palos Verdes courses.
Weekend players as well as the top guns of this annual tournament found the dog-leg layouts of the Apo Golf so challenging that even non-playing captain Thirdy Escano of the front-running Manila Southwoods admitted that the “real battle could take place here.”
“Unless we come up with enough leads going into the fourth rounds, it should be a close battle. In case of a close fight after three rounds, this (Apo golf) is where the real battle should take place,” said Escano, who was part of the many championship wins of Southwoods in the past.
The Southwoods parbusters again dominated the second day of action on Thursday at the Palos Verdes with a total of 136 anchored by the young Yuto Katusrugawa, who came up with 36 points after playing an even-par 72. He was ably aided by Iya Alido Ian Patrick Culll, who logged similar 34 points and Jama Reyes’ 32.
The Carmona-based club’s first four of Kristoffer Arevalo, Carl Corpuz, Jets Sajulga and Jun-Jun Plana came up with the same 136 aggregate points in the first round on Wednesday at the tough Apo Golf.
The defending Southwoods now leads top rival Canlubang in the elite Championship Division by 14 points after the Sugar Barons compiled 133 from the efforts of Gido Mandanas (36), Carlo Villaroman (34), Rupert Saragoza (33) and Marco Olives (30).
It should be another breeze for the top-caliber parbusters in the third round today (Friday) which will also be held at the Palos Verdes that offers long and wide courses.
Then action shifts back to the difficult Apo Golf in the fourth and final day of this tournament that serves as the unofficial team golf championships.
“You have to be patient here,” added Escano, pertaining to the narrow, dog-leg courses at Apo Golf.
Darly Patalot, who has been team coordinator with Canlubang in its many battles in the past, also has something to say about the tough challenge offers by Apo.
“Most of the time you don’t even see the greens. You have to play short and a lot of placements.”
Golf website davaogolf.com described Apo’s back-nine made up of “ fairly tight tree lined fairways with twists and turns. The back is more of a placement layout than a bomber one.”
For golfph.com, the hole no. 11 poses the most challenges. “The course’s most infamous water hazard is a large pond that was placed in an unorthodox position. It is directly in front of hole no. 11, which is the main challenge to beat at the course.”