World’s great golfers trace roots to San Diego

SAN DIEGO, California – What do Tiger Woods, Ernie Els, Phil Mickelson, Craig Stadler, Amy Alcott, Carito Villaroman, Ramon Brobio, Jennifer Rosales and Dorothy Delasin have in common?

They either shared the champion’s podium or walked the verdant fairways of the famous Torrey Pines.

That could very well sum up the kind of golfing greats who have found their roots in competitive golf in a 34-year-old youth bash that is known all over as the Junior World golf championship here.

This week in what has been called the " finest city" in the United States, a total of 1,056 youth golfers from over 40 countries will see action in the biggest golf conclave in the world.

The Philippines itself, an original foreign entrant when the event came to being in 1968, will be fielding 21 players in all five divisions which will hold competitions in seven courses in San Diego with Torrey Pines serving as the main theater of the championship with the centerpiece 15-17 event on tap.

The Filipino golfers are the very cream of present jungolf movement back home after having endured a long hot summer of qualifying rounds that went through 10 stops.

There’s a mission at hand. No Filipino kid had won in the Junior World since the Daly City-based Delasin , now an LPGA Tour regular, made the grade in 1998 in Torrey Pines North.

"We have assembled the most prepared contingent and we look forward to some positive results," said Amalia Montecillo, chair of the Junior Golf Foundation of the Philippines. The delegation is headed by Merwin Mediana, jungolf president.

Hopes are high in the upper bracket , particularly in the 13-14 and 11-12, where Jayvee Agojo and Tonlits Asistio – winners last week in a run-up event in the nearby Temecula – will see action.

The pretty Agojo, from Laguna, won over compatriot Katrina Gonzales and she further firmed up that form by going to Florida to play in the Optimist International. In fact, she will be flying in Wednesday in time for her 11:36 a.m. flight.

Then there is 1999 national amateur champion Artemio Murakami who is playing his last year here and hopes to improve on a fifth place finish in the 13-14 category four years ago in Singing Hills.

A lively rivalry could be in the works in the 11-12 where Asistio, IG Gutierrez and Miko Alejandro may carry over their summer circuit hostilities to a state-side venue.

Three Filipino kids in the 6-8 class are worth watching. Joshua Uy had dominated this division back home while Dottie Ardina of Canlubang, who is being sponsored by sportsman Coy Quiros, and Angela de Villa may buck the odds in the three-day pint-sized shootout at Presidio.

The entire RP delegation: A.Murakami, Keenan Ugarte, Don Padilla, Mary Grace Cruz, Katrina Gonzales, J. Agojo, Zandrea Dizon, Martin Mediana, DJ Padilla, IG Gutierrez, Asistio, Alejandro, Gerieleen Handog, Erlain Lumanog, John Abdon, Rei Medestomas, Deborah De Villa, Joshua Uy, Jobin Carlos, Dottie Ardina and Angela De Villa.

JUNGOLF NOTES: The Philippines has won 15 junior world titles in all with Villaroman winning twice in the 15-17, the first on record 15-under par 273.....The first Filipino to have competed here was Emil Afable in 1968. Afable is not the golf director in Wack Wack....San Diego Filipino couple Gil and Baby Enriquez has been a generous host and a big help to Filipino journalists covering the event....The RP team is sponsored by Northwest, Adidas and Taylor Made.