Auto Crash Kills Parents of Golfer

The parents of Long Beach Wilson golfer Jennifer Tangtiphaiboontana were killed in a car accident Thursday as they drove Jennifer and a teammate home from the Southern Section team championships, Wilson Coach Jim Ferguson said.

Ittisak Tangtiphaiboontana, 52, and Uthaivan Tangtiphaiboontana, 50, died at the scene after the family vehicle swerved off the westbound Pomona Freeway and flipped down an embankment near Glen Avon, about five miles east of Riverside.

Jennifer, 16, was treated for facial lacerations and bruises at a Riverside hospital and released Friday morning. Teammate Diane Sirisut, 16, suffered a dislocated shoulder and was released Thursday night, Ferguson said.

“They were two of the most devoted and caring parents you could ever come across,” Ferguson said. “They will be very greatly missed.”

Shortly before the accident, the Tangtiphaiboontanas watched Jennifer shoot a three-under-par 69 and lead Wilson to second place in the section championships at Desert Willow Golf Resort in Palm Desert.

Jennifer, the Moore League individual champion, is ranked No. 54 in Golfweek’s national rankings and was recently selected to the Compaq Scholastic Junior All-American team.

She withdrew from Thursday’s sectional individual championships.

The team qualified for the CIF-WSCGA championships Nov. 27. Ferguson said it will be Jennifer’s decision whether the team plays.