By Adriano Flores

DAVAO City?Tournament first-timer The Country Club and defending champion Canlubang begin their head-to-head duel for the regular men?s championship title in the 62nd Philippine Airlines Interclub starting today.

Sure, The Country Club, made up of players from the International Container Terminal Services Inc. stable, and rival Canlubang have had battles for individual honors in the past. But the PAL Interclub is different because it puts premium on team award rather than personal achievements.

Hometown heroes and national team players Ferdinand Aunzo and Rufino Bayron, Peter Villaber and Dante Beciera, Tonlits Asistio, Joey Huerva, Art Arbole, JR Tanpinco, Anthony Fernando and Jobim Carlos, banner The Country Club lineup, making it a favorite to thwart Canlubang?s date with destiny.

?But just like any sport, home court advantage only matters if players perform well. We may have guys familiar with the difficult layout of Apo Golf Club, but it doesn?t guarantee that we?ll beat them easily.  It?s going to be a tough series especially with Canlubang around,? TCC captain Freddie Mendoza said.

?Our first five will match up well with Canlubang.  The competition will boil down to who gets the most out of the second unit.  I think the scores would be close and I will be surprised if any one of us will pull away,? said Mendoza.

Mendoza and TCC head coach Bong Lopez will divide the players on who to play at the Apo Golf Club and the Rancho Palos Verdes Golf and Country Club, two host venues of the tournament. They will base their decisions depending on each player?s skills.

Lopez said that Aunzo, Bayron, Arbole, Villaber and Tanpinco will be on deck at Apo, which demands precision and accuracy around the greens.  ?They have shown exceptional talent in the short-game department.?

On one hand, Lopez also said, Fernando, Beciera, Carlos Asistio and Huerva were picked to banner the Rancho Palos Verdes squad because most of them are very long hitters?something that suits the Sta. Lucia par-71 layout.