RP team to world jungolf ‘strongest’

SAN DIEGO, California — Their morale boosted by the victories of Tonlit Asistio and Jayvie Agojo in last week’s Temecula International, 22 Filipino jungolfers join close to a thousand entries from all over the globe (Wednesday, Manila time) in the 34th edition of the Junior World Golf Championships.

Asistio, playing in the boys Class C, and Agojo, seeing action in girls Class B, topped their respective divisions in convincing fashion in nearby Temecula to give the lean but mean Philippine contingent here a huge psychological boost for the bigger battle just about to unfold.

Asistio won his division by four strokes over Tony Hu of China while Agojo led a 1-2 finish for the RP bets with her six-shot romp over Katrina Gonzales.

The RP squad, resplendent in their uniforms provided by Adidas and Taylor Made, joined the parade of teams yesterday at the Torrey Pines grounds in the plush La Jolla suburb where the legendary Billy Casper served as special guest.

Except for Agojo who was still playing in the Optimist International in Florida up to yesterday and will fly straight to San Diego from there, everybody in the team was accounted for.

"We’re really happy with the victories of Tonlit and Jayvie. It bolsters our belief that what we have sent here is one of the most prepared delegations in years," said Amalia Montecillo, chair of the Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines.

According to Jungolf president Merwin Mediana, the Philippines is represented in all five divisions which will be played in five different courses.

Former national amateur champ Artemio Murakami leads the delegation that includes circuit standouts like Gerileen Handog, Xandrea Dizon, Miko Alejandro, IG Gutierrez, John Kier Abdon, Dottie Ardina and Debbie de Villa.