Lloyd Jefferson Go wins Whiting-Turner Invitational in Maryland, USA
PROUD CEBUANO
Cebuano golf standout Lloyd Jefferson Go raised the city’s banner up high as he won the Whiting-Turner Invitational held last weekend at the Prospect Bay Country Club in Grasonville, Maryland.
Go, last year’s Philippine Amateur Open champion who is now playing for Seton Hall in the NCAA, shot in a one-under par 70 in the final round of the competition to claim the individual title.
It was Go’s first victory on the collegiate level in the United States and was also the first for Seton Hall since John Dawson Neufeld captured the Rutgers Invitational five years ago.
The title did not come on a silver platter for the Guadalupe, Cebu resident as he had to overcome a two-stroke deficit in the final 18 holes of the competition.
He ended up with a 143 for the tournament, a stroke ahead of runner-up Nicolas Echavarria of Arkansas.
Go, in an exclusive interview with Cebu Daily News, shared how exciting and challenging it was to play in the tournament, especially since it was snowing.
“I felt pretty good about it. We actually played the tournament in the snow,” he said. “It was freezing cold! I just had to wear more layers. I couldn’t take full swings. So half swings did the trick.”
Andrew Ong, Go’s golf coach, said that he was impressed with his ward’s ever-improving game which was honed even more when the latter spent time during spring break playing on some of the continent’s best courses. These include Cypress Point, Spyglass, Monterey Peninsula, Spanish Bay, Olympic Club, Cal Club and the legendary Pebble Beach Golf Links, site of the US Open in 2010.
“I think his maturity and composure on the course has really improved. Only time will tell how great he can truly be but with his game continually improving, I think he’s on the right path,” said Ong.
Go and his Seton Hall mates are actually gunning for the Big East conference crown and a slot in the NCAA tournament this June, something that he has had his eye on for a while now.
Next up for Go is the Red Hawk Invitational in Washington on April 6.
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