Luisita reloads with Gallent for Interclub run

Luisita is loading up for another serious run at the Seniors crown — and this time, it’s bringing in a proven big gun.

Multi-time Alabang Country Club champion Jorge Gallent is joining the Luisita squad as it tries to snap Del Monte’s two-year reign in the Seniors division of the 77th Philippine Airlines Interclub in Davao City.

Gallent adds both firepower and experience to a lineup that last lifted the title in 2023. He will team up with Benjie Sumulong, Marty Ilagan, Ferdie Barbosa, Roland Punzalan, Jingy Tuason, Marvin Caparros, and Chino Raymundo — a group that already finished runner-up in Bacolod even without Gallent and Sumulong in tow.

“If Gallent shoots even par or better for two days, that will help our chances a lot,” said non-playing captain Jeric Hechanova.

Hechanova said the signs were encouraging after the recent Mango Tee 38 Invitational at Alabang Country Club, where Gallent went six-under, Sumulong finished at even par, and Ilagan stayed competitive over two days.

Another wrinkle this year is the inclusion of South Pacific Golf and Country Club in Davao, which adds a fresh challenge for many teams.

“We’ll see for ourselves how South Pacific looks during the practice round,” Hechanova said.

The 77th PAL Interclub marks the return of the country’s longest-running amateur team championship to Mindanao, with Davao City hosting hundreds of golfers from across the Philippines and overseas Filipino communities in early 2026.

Competition will be spread across South Pacific Golf Club Davao, Rancho Palos Verdes Golf and Country Club, and Apo Golf and Country Club — giving players a full showcase of the city’s growing golf scene. South Pacific, operated by Sta. Lucia Land Inc., will serve as a tournament hub, hosting captains’ meetings, ceremonial tee-offs, and key championship rounds.

The Seniors division will open the festivities at South Pacific and Rancho Palos Verdes before the Men’s Regular teams take center stage the following week. Organizers expect more than 2,000 golfers across both divisions, once again underlining the Interclub’s status as the unofficial national club championship.

Last year in Bacolod, Del Monte turned a tight four-way battle into a runaway finish, powered by closing-day heroics from Yoyong Velez and Raul Miñoza. Crispin Aparilla’s tournament-best 153 points sealed the Bukidnon squad’s back-to-back crown, while Luisita edged Manila Southwoods for second via countback.

With Gallent and Sumulong now back in the mix — and a new Davao course adding intrigue — Luisita is clearly aiming to turn that runner-up finish into a championship comeback.