Gandionco, Go ready for Putra Cup

CEBU’s Angelo Jose “Gio” Gandionco and Lloyd Jefferson “LJ” Go will join the Junior Philippine golf team in the 52nd Putra Cup on Aug. 27 at the Emeralda Golf Club in Jakarta, lndonesia.

The event is an annual Southeast Asia Amateur golf team championship, which is alternately hosted by its nine-country members.

The Cebuano duo is joined by Justin Rafael Quiban and Sebastian Lorenzo.

“Last year, I finished in the Top 10 in the individual ranking and was the best scorer in the team event. But unfortunately we didn’t make the Top 10 in the team ranking,” said the 16-year-old Gandionco, who recently bagged the best amateur golfer of the Aboitiz Invitational Golf tournament.

This will be Gandionco’s second tournament and his second time to represent the country in the junior golf team. This would also serve as his last as he is scheduled to leave the country to study in the USA.

“I want this to become a memorable tournament for me. I also hope to get better results in the individuals and help the team in the over-all standing,” Gandionco said.

Gandionco has made Cebu proud with his achievements in the golfing scene after winning the 2012 PhilJunior Amateur Open GC, 2012 Junior World Qualifying, 2012 Montecillo Junior Golf Championship 2012 Frankie Minoza Tournament, Del Monte and Champion and the Frankie Minoza Tournament.

Go placed third in the 2012 Junior World Qualifying and 6th in the 2012 Philjunior Amateur Open GC.

According to National Golf Association of the Philippines (NGAP) President Tommy Manotoc, the players were carefully selected to represent the country. The selected players show great potential in winning this prestigious championship in the Southeast Asian region.

This championship will also serve as training and gauge for the level of competence of the Filipinos against their competitors from Southeast Asia as they eye a stint in the Southeast Asian Games, which will be held in Myanmar next year.