BAGUIO CITY — Abe Rosal scored 38 points while Rodel Mangulabnan and Benjie Sumulong each added 34 to lift Luisita to a slim five-point lead against defending champion Manila Southwoods in the premier Fil-Championship division of the 73rd Januarius Fil-Am Golf Invitational at Camp John Hay Golf and Country Club here on Sunday.

Together with the 29 of either Chino Raymundo or Dan Cruz, Luisita posted a team score of 135 as the Tarlac-based club opened its bid to reclaim the title on a high note.

"I am glad with the team's good start," Luisita non-playing captain Jeric Hechanova said.

Manila Southwoods (130) got its usual points from veterans Junjun Plana (37), Raul Miñoza (36) and Bong Brobio (31). However, the next best output was the 26 of Theody Pascual.

"It was just the first round and the guys could be adjusting to the tournament conditions. It should be better tomorrow (today)," Freddie Mendoza, skipper of Southwoods, said.

In the Am-Championship played at the Baguio Country Club, Manila Southwoods leaned on a 26 for a 96-point tally to erect a huge 15-point advantage over Riviera (81) and another point off Leeward (80).

Also scoring for Southwoods were Raul Magpantay with 25, Joseph Tambungting with 24 and Edmund Yee with 21.

The other frontrunners in the other divisions were Baguio Country Club (Fil-B) and A1-MGC (Am-A) in this year's event sponsored by Janurius Holdings.