BAGUIO CITY – Local parbuster Luigi Paolo Wong arrived Thursday (Friday, Philippine time) at the Los Angeles International Airport en route to San Diego, California for the Future Champions Golf (FCG) International Tour from July 2 to 6.
“Just touched down (at) LAX (LA Airport), were okay by God's grace,” read the private message on Facebook messenger of Danny Wong, father of Paolo Wong to the Philippine News Agency (PNA).
The young Wong who saw action in the Toyota World Team Championship in Nagoya, Japan last week.
The Wongs will motor to San Diego for the tournament at Sycuan in time for the tournament from July 2 to 6.
“We will drive by land for another two hours, actually we missed our flight in the Philippines so affected lahat (everything is affected), were supposed to fly from LAX to SD. It’s 12mn (midnight) here so drive na lang puede at no flights (we can just drive as there are no more flights),” said the Wong patriarch, who will see the young Wong play in two other tournaments in San Diego this July.
“From Japan, (it was) reason why we missed our date (flight here), it was so close kasi, but we had to go home to wash clothing and see our workplace,” the elder Wong said.
Paolo Wong will be playing in the San Diego tournament presented by Callaway where more than 650 young golfers from more than 35 countries will play against.
He will also see action on July 8 to 12 for the IMG Junior World Championship at the world-famous Torrey Pines also in San Diego and the San Diego Amateur on July 13-14.
Last week, Wong joined the Philippine junior golf team in the Toyota world team cup where they placed ninth among 15 countries.
South Africa won the event by an 11-point margin over host Japan, while Spain took the bronze.
Team USA slipped past Thailand for the fourth place after a fourth-round surge.
Wong, Aidric Chan, Carl Corpus, and Sean Ramos finished with a four under 848, 37 off the winning quartet.
The Philippine team advanced to the Toyota Junior World Cup after they defeated South Korea and Thailand during the Asian Junior Team Championship in September 2018 in Gunsan, South Korea.
It was a historic first for the Philippines to be playing in the said tournament. Chan, Corpus, and Ramos will represent the country in the South East Asian Games (SEAG) late this year at the Sta. Lucia Golf and Country Club where the SEAG qualifier was held last month.
Last month, Wong won the Bridgestone Tournament of Champions held at the Grand Cypress in Orlando, Florida. (PNA)