DAVAO – Del Monte seeks a first for the club starting today when the Bukidnon-based parbusters gun for a repeat triumph in the Championship division of the Philippine Airlines Interclub golf tournament in two courses here.

This year’s event will also test the mettle of the defending champions, as they try to win the centrepiece championship for the first time away from home.

Del Monte’s first two titles came in Bukidnon and Cagayan de Oro, with the first happening in the middle of the last decade with a team built around former Del Monte caddy Buboy Jaraulla.

Canlubang, which won the Senior division title last Sunday behind the heroics of Tommy Manotoc, will not have a chance at a sweep this year following its authorized withdrawal in the regular division.

The club that produced the likes of Juvic Pagunsan, Jay Bayron and Jonel Ababa, among others, begged off from participating after most of its players decided to jump to the professional ranks at the end of last year.

Banny Abano and former national champion Clyde Mondilla will banner the Del Monte charge against the likes of last year’s runner-up Cebu Country Club, Negros Golf and Country Club, Forest Hills and looming darkhorse Wack Wack.

Wack Wack, with the absence of Canlubang, lured Manotoc and his two sons, Matthew and Gabriel and the Mandaluyong-based squad suddenly looked formidable.

Alabang and Manila Southwoods are the others that merit a second look, with Southwoods hoping to rekindle some of its most glorious moments in the tournament with teams that were anchored on Artemio Murakami, Tonlits Asistio and Michael Bibat.

Matthew was a former member of the national pool before going to the United States to earn a collegiate degree, while the 14-year-old Gabriel is one of the most promising names in the amateur ranks today.

Andres Saldana, a regular campaigner in big amateur tournaments, and Keanu Jahns are the spearheads of Alabang.