Filipino surfer John Mark Tokong ruled the 2023 White Buffalo Hyuga Pro, World Surf League (WSL) Qualifying Series, in Hyuga, Japan.

Tokong garnered a total of 12.8 points to best hometown bet Daiki Tanaka, who received a score of 11.2 points, in the finals on Sunday, March 5.

The United Philippine Surfing Association said that the victory pushed Tokong to fourth place in the men's rankings of the WSL Men's Qualifying Series Asia Region

"Tokong now sits 4th on the WSL Qualifying Series Asia Region, where he hopes to progress & qualify for the WSL Challenger series, where he will face top tier surfers from around the globe," the UPSA said in a Facebook post.