CAGAYAN DE ORO. – Del Monte broke through as Philippine Airlines (PAL) Championship division titlist in the Seniors division on Sunday, and Yoyong Velez, the lawyer-turned-team builder, vowed they will stick to the formula that gave them glory.
And that is no one from this champion team will have a sure slot for next year. Not even Velez himself.
“We’ve always done that and don’t intend to veer away from that formula,” Velez said after the celebration had died down at Pueblo de Oro. “All those who represent Del Monte (in the Interclub) will have to go through qualifying. There will be no exceptions.”
Romeo Jaraula scored a 36-hole three-under-par 141 total playing at Del Monte in the middle two rounds. Being the best scorer of the team — and the tournament — he naturally deserves to be seeded.
“No,” was Velez’s curt reply when asked if Jaraula would be a cinch next year. “We will all go through that process so we can see who the best players for the tournament are.”
Velez talked with much pride after the Bukidnon-based squad finally won the big one. It took them six years, or since he and Ondoy Mondilla turned 55 and became eligible for seniors play.
“While we also hold a four-round qualifying, I am very proud of the fact that we at Del Monte have never recruited any player coming from the outside,” he said. “All of our players are homegrown. I don’t know how many teams do that.”
The Del Monte win took the spotlight away from the Luisita-Canlubang rivalry, much in the same way in 2004 when, in the Regular Men’s Championship, Velez spearheaded a team that broke the stranglehold of the Sugar Barons.
