The Philippine Airlines Interclub takes centerstage beginning today with the seniors' division teeing off at the Bacolod Golf and Country Club in Binitin , Murcia and the Negros Occidental Golf and Country Club in Bacolod City .

A total of 82 teams are competing in four categories --- championship, founders, sportswriters and friendship.

The Canlubang Sugar Barons are gunning for a third consecutive title in the championship division, where the NOGCC squad, which placed fifth in Cagayan De Oro City last year is expected to do better this time owing to its home-course advantage.

Statistics-wise, Canlubang may be headed for another encore owing to its 97.6 scoring average in the past five years. Luisita, which boasts of three of the finest Negrense players, is in second with a 90.4 average.

Marapara, which last won the men's regular crown in 1976, lies in sixth with an 89.

Playing for NOGCC are Luis Coscolluela, Ernesto "Boy" Piccio, Dave Infante, Epifanio "Panyo" Torre, Lito Ong, Ed Anglo Boy Manaloto and Rene Silos.

Each team will parade four players a day with the best three scores to count. Coscolluela, Piccio, Anglo and Ong will open the Marapara bid in Binitin today, while the rest of the team sees action on Friday.

Former national amateur champion Francis Gaston heads the Negrense crew in Luisita. Former Silay City mayor Carlo Gamban and Philippine Sports commissioner Ricardo Garcia are also playing for the Tarlac-based contingent.

The three Negrenses are expected to spearhead Luisita --- a 13-time seniors division champion --- because of their familiarity of the two par-70 courses.

But the Sugar Barons, led by Tommy Manotoc and Rolly Viray, remain the heavy favorite and was even bolstered by the acquisition of former Putra Cup champion Dave Hernandez.

The BGCC is also seeing action in the sportswriters division, where it has the best scoring average of 80.2.

The first two days of the championship division and friendship division will be played at Binitin, simultaneous with the founders and sportswriters division tournament at Marapara. The tournaments change venues on the final two days of the competition.

Hitting the ceremonial drives at the NOGCC yesterday were Bacolod City Mayor Evelio Leonardia, PAL president Jaime J. Bautista and NOGCC president Epifanio Torre.

The men's tournament follows from Wednesday to Saturday with Canlubang expected to be challenged again by Manila Southwoods, Del Monte and Negros Occidental.

Among those present at the NOGCC yesterday was former Comelec chairman Benjamin Abalos, at the center of the aborted ZTE-broadband scandal for allegedly asking a $130 million commission. Abalos is the top player of Wack Wack, one of the heavily-favored teams in founders division.

The 61st PAL Interclub, dubbed “Sugar and Tee,” marks the fourth time since 1997 that Binitin and Marapara hosted the tournament.

This year's competition is backed by platinum sponsors Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, GE Aviation, MTV Philippines and Solar Sports. The major sponsors are Action Asia, Business Mirror, Crossover, Pacsports and Royal Caribbean. Fortune Tobacco, GECAS, MasterCard, People Asia and RMN are the corporate sponsors, while Bombo Radyo, Callaway Golf, Century Park Hotel, Lufthansa Technik and Patio Pacific Boracay are the minor sponsors.*CPT

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