Thai starlet Atthaya remains in the mix
South Korean Cho forges ahead at rain-hit Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific tournament at Sentosa
>> SINGAPORE: South Korea’s Ayean Cho was in pole position at seven-under at the end of a rain-interrupted third round at the inaugural Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific at Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore yesterday.
Cho, 17, was two-under for the day after 14 holes when play stopped at 7.20pm local time due to fading light.
Action was suspended for most of the afternoon due to heavy rain and the threat of lightning before resuming at 6.20pm.
Thai starlet Atthaya Thitikul, also playing in the final group, was sixunder overall, one behind Cho, along with Japan’s Yuna Nishimura, who had three holes left to play.
Yuka Saso, the Philippines’ topranked amateur, made a major move with four birdies putting her at fourunder after 17 holes and five-under overall, level with compatriot Lois Kaye Go, reigning Japan Women’s Amateur champion Yuka Yasuda and Korean Yunji Jeong, who were yet to finish their rounds.
Wenyung Keh, New Zealand’s topranked amateur, shot a three-under 68 over the 6,456-yard New Tanjong course to be the clubhouse leader at four-under, while six Koreans and six Japanese featured in the top 20 at close of play.
The third round will resume this morning at 7.20am.
Cho, Atthaya and Nishimura all shared dreams of winning the 72-hole stroke play event and earning places in two of this year’s major championships — the ANA Inspiration and Ricoh Women’s British Open, as well as next week’s 11th HSBC Women’s World Championship, also at Sentosa Golf Club.
Cho, who said her career ambition is to win the LPGA Tour money title, started the day one behind Atthaya and Jeong and took the outright lead before rain stopped play at 12.40pm and held onto it after play resumed.
Atthaya, the first-round leader after an opening 65, played in two majors last year — the Women’s British Open and The Evian Championship in France — and the 15-year-old sensation said she would be thrilled to earn a return to the UK. “If I could win here, it would be nice to go back to the Women’s British Open. My target would be to make the cut this time and get some new experience. I made the cut at Evian,” said the reigning SEA Games gold medallist, who last year became the youngest player to win a Ladies European Tour event.
“In the majors, I hit the same distance as the pros, I hit it long enough, but their short games and putting are much better than mine. Tomorrow I just need to focus on my own game,” Atthaya said.