It was pretty much like an in-and-out job special forces perform. Job done quick and precise. Nobody knew what went on.
Only it wasn’t a squad but a teenage girl carrying out the mission. And instead of under the cover of darkness, it was in broad daylight.
Barely 22 hours after touching down in the United States, Filipino junior golf stalwart Monique Arroyo made a daring raid and ran away with the Southern California PGA Summer Tour Championship in San Jacinto.
But it wasn’t as easy as it looked. Arroyo, an incoming freshman at Occidental College in Los Angeles, said she battled through jet-lag throughout the round on Monday before finishing with a 79.
“Jet-lagged, ha, ha, ha,” Arroyo told Tribune Golf.
Still, it was enough to beat Savanah Christensen of California by eight shots in the girls 15-18 division of the tourney. It was one of the events players use to prepare for the IMG World Junior Championships in San Diego.
Sydney Sirinian of Sta. Fe was third after a 90.
“It was a struggle since I was jetlagged but I wanted to test my abilities and I’m grateful I shoot in the 70s with the long and difficult course,” she added.
Arroyo is daughter of Philippine jungolf “godfather,” former Rep. Juan Miguel “Mikey” Arroyo, and one of the 45 Filipino shot-makers seeing action IMG meet slated 8 to 13 July.
Hands down, Arroyo’s game was spot-on.
“My opponent going to back nine was only 1 above me but I improved and eventually beat her by 8 strokes,” recounted Arroyo.
She shot down three birdies up-and-down — two of them from par 3s coming from at least 15 feet — and had two pars en route to victory.
Joining her in the elite girls 15-18 bracket in the Worlds are Reese Ng, Alethea Gaccion, Grace Quintanilla and Anya Cedo. Bobe Salahog, Santino Pineda, Jacob Cajita and Zachary Castro will vie in the boys side.
The erstwhile International School Manila top player will be playing her last Worlds so she’s hoping to make the best of it.
In fact, Arroyo bared that she will be playing one more tournament in the area before heading to Torrey Pines.
