Australian Jason Day to play World Cup of Golf despite losing eight family members in the Philippines' Typhoon Haiyan JASON Day will play this week's World Cup of Golf in Melbourne with the burden of knowing eight relatives, including his grandmother, perished in the Philippines typhoon. Among the thousands killed by the massive storm were Day's grandmother, an uncle and six cousins. One aunt was found alive despite being swept to another village, while another aunt's family survived after binding themselves together with rope and taking refuge in an attic. Speaking exclusively with the Gold Coast Bulletin, Day's mother, Dening, who migrated to Australia from the Philippines three decades ago, said her globe-trotting son had been told of the tragedies but she was yet to speak to him personally. "My daughter has been updating him but I don't want to bother him because he has commitments," she said. There will be plenty of time to talk after (the World Cup). He's representing his country so I don't want him worrying about anything apart from golf. Australian golfer Jason Day will play this weekend's World Cup of Golf in Melbourne despite losing eight family members in the Philippines super storm Typhoon Haiyan. Pic: Getty Images Source: Getty Images With the family keen to shield Beaudesert-raised Day, sister Yanna added: "He keeps asking how Mum's doing and you can just reassure him as much as you possibly can that she's OK. We're with her and she's fine. Having grown up in the region devastated by Typhoon Haiyan, and with her mother and two of her 10 siblings still living there, Mrs Day said she feared the worst when she was unable to contact them for several days after the storm. Five of Jason Day's cousins pictured in this photo were killed in Typhoon Haiyan. Pic: supplied Source: Supplied "It was so hard because we couldn't get hold of anybody," she said. My sister's daughter was in Taiwan and she was pleading on Facebook for someone to let her know what was happening. She couldn't get any news so she phoned her brother in Manila and told him to drive (to their village). That was an 18-hour drive and when he got there he saw it was devastated and that their father, six sisters and grandmother were all gone and their mother was missing. My daughter saw an update posted on Facebook and phoned me to translate it. She spelled out the words and I just said `they're all gone'. We thought my entire family had died and it was three days later we found out some had lived. Dening Day, the mother of golfer Jason Day, has spoken of losing eight relatives including her mother in the Philippines typhon. One of Day's aunts survived after being separated from her mother, husband and six children, all who died. "They own a beach resort in Basey Samar and didn't have time to get to higher ground," Mrs Day said. We don't know where she got swept to but they found her in a village an hour's drive away ... I have no idea how her health is. My eldest sister is based in Tacloban City and her family tied themselves together in the attic and survived ... her family are fine but they lost their house, everything. It's such an unknown. My sister said don't send money or any packages because they can't get them. They don't have any food, just bananas from the trees that are still standing. Adelaidea, who died in the Philippines typhon and was the grandmother (lola) of golfer Jason Day. While Day's sister Kim was the only one of the siblings who had met their grandmother and extended family, Yanna said the loss had impacted them all. "They were family," she said. There has been talk about whether the rest of us should go back to the Philippines to help but it seems like we can't do anything ... Mum's a very tough woman but I know she mourns privately. Mrs Day said: "I do. I have to be strong for my children but when I'm asleep and alone, I mourn ... the waiting is the worst, especially at night-time when you're not busy. That's when all the worst thoughts come. Jason Day has been left devastated by the death of his grandmother and cousins.