The 19-year-old denied Thai Natthakritta Vongtaveelap a wire-to-wire win at Abu Dhabi Golf Club with a closing 68 for a one stroke victory.

A final round 72 left Vongtaveelap in a three-way tie for second with Thai compatriot Kan Bunnabodee (66) and Australia’s Kelsey Bennett (68).

Hashimoto carded four successive rounds of 68 on The National layout to finish on a 16-under-par total of 272. The life-changing win saw her secure invites to two major championships – next year’s AIG Women’s Open and the Amundi Evian Championship – as well as starts in the Hana Financial Group Championship and the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.

“I have always seen these tournaments on the television. To be able to play in them is like a dream come true for me,’ said Hashimoto who is set to soar from her position of 121 in the world amateur rankings.

“I am unable to say any words right now. I feel so happy to win this championship. I would like to say a big thank you to my teammates and everyone who supported me all week.”

A hole-out eagle on the Abu Dhabi G.C.s 3rd hole sparked Hashimoto’s final round push and continued a memorable year for Japanese golf after Tsubasa Kajitani and Hideki Matsuyama were winners in back-to-back weeks at the  Augusta National Women’s Amateur and The Masters in April.

“The eagle on the third hole was a big surprise for me. I kept fighting hard after that until I made the winning putt. I played really well today.”

After leading for the first 54-holes, Vongtaveelap was understandably frustrated.

“I’m a little disappointed but I did my best. I am so pleased that I was invited to play in this tournament. This has been a new experience and I won’t forget it,” said Vongtaveelap.

“I have learned a lot. I have never played in a championship of this stature before and I have never been this nervous. I will keep improving my mindset and my skills.”

UAE-based Natalii Gupta, a nominated player of the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF) and the only local player to make the cut, rounded off an excellent week with a two-under 70 to finish on -6 six in a tie for 13th.

“I had a blast this week. I’m thankful to be here, thankful to be given the opportunity to play this week,” said the 17-year-old.

The post Mizuki Hashimoto makes it an Asia-Pacific double for Japan appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
Different day, the same name atop the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific championship (WAAP). This time though, Thailand’s Natthakritta Vongtaveelap had company as the day two storylines emerged at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.

With a four-under 68 to go with her opening 66, Vongtaveelap moved to -10 for the championship and maintained her two-stroke buffer heading into the weekend.

Joining her for Saturday and Sunday will be Dubai-based Indian Natalii Gupta who is the sole remaining UAE representative after Alia Al Emadi, Hamda Al Suwaidi and Hannah Cheryl Alan failed to survive the 36-hole cull.

Perhaps the story of Thursday belonged to Vongtaveelap’s compatriot Kan Bunnabodee who fired an eight-under-par 64 to move into the top-10 and equal the lowest round in WAAP history. For the record, Australian Becky Kay established the mark during the first round of the 2019 edition of the WAAP played at the Royal Golf Club in Japan.

“I’m impressed that I could shoot this low score, this is my first time shooting 8-under,” said Bunnabodee, who recorded seven birdies in eight holes, starting at the 4th hole.

Kan Bunnabodee.

“I actually didn’t think about making the lowest score in WAAP or anything. I was just enjoying myself playing golf, making some birdies, and it just kept scoring lower and lower. So it’s pretty nice.”

So too has been Vongtaveelap’s opening 36 holes. She is two clear of Japan’s Mizuki Hashimoto and Australian Kelsey Bennett (67) on eight under, with India’s Anika Varma (68), one of only two players in the field not to drop a shot in the first 36 holes, in solo fourth place at seven-under-par 137.

“I was not as nervous as I was in the first round. The first round gave me more confidence and I played very good golf and hit some very good shots during the round,” said Vongtaveelap, who made birdies on the 15th and 18th holes after starting from the 10th, and then added two more on the second and third.

“It was my goal to try and shoot a four-under round today and I am happy I achieved it.”

Natalii Gupta.

Gupta, a nominated player of the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF), added a three-under-par 69 to her 74 on Wednesday for a one-under total and a tie for 26th.

“It was a good day on the golf course today,” said the 17-year-old.

“I think I had five birdies. I was just trying not to short-side myself and play aggressively to all my lines and just hope for the best. It is a huge honour to be representing the EGF. I’ve lived here in the UAE all my life. It’s incredible to be able to get an opportunity and then make the cut here.”

The halfway cut fell at two-over-par 146 with 51 players from 12 countries making it through to the final two rounds of the championship.

WAAP is one of the most important events on the calendar for players from the Asia-Pacific region, with the champion earning a place in two major championship fields – the AIG Women’s Open and The Amundi Evian Championship -as well as the Hana Financial Group Championship and an invitation to play in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.

The post Natalii Gupta flies UAE flag as Thai Natthakritta Vongtaveelap maintains WAAP buffer in Abu Dhabi appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
By way of background intel, know that Natthakritta Vongtaveelap’s friends call her “Sim” and that she is one of the bigger hitters in women’s amateur golf.

Know also that the Thai is the early pace-setter at the 3rd Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific championship (WAAP) after overcoming an early bout of nerves and a dropped shot on the par-5 2nd to sign for a brilliant six-under 66 at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.

Vongtaveelap leads by two strokes from the trio of Chun-Wei Wu (Chinese Taipei), Mizuki Hashimoto (Japan) and Viera Permata Rosada (Indonesia).

“I was very nervous at the beginning. My heart felt like it would jump out of my body,” said Vongtaveelap. “But I somehow managed to calm myself down by thinking that I can do it.”

Vongtaveelap showed just what she is capable of with birdies on the 7th and 8th before picking up five strokes on the homeward nine including a memorable four on Abu Dhabi’s famous par-5 18th.

 

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“I loved my birdie on the 18th hole. I think I hit all perfect shots there. A driver that went absolutely straight into the headwind, followed by a very nice second shot with a hybrid that reached the green and left me with a 15-feet eagle putt. I missed that even though I hit a good putt but that birdie was sweet.”

Just as significant was the par Vongtaveelap made on the previous hole, one of the tougher par-4s in the UAE. She showed steely nerves on the 17th after sprinting a birdie attempt well past the hole before calmly draining the near six-foot return putt.

 

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Eight players were tied for fifth at three-under-par, including Korea’s Youmin Hwang, the highest-ranked player in the field at number four in the World Amateur Golf Ranking® (WAGR®), India’s Anika Varma, Australia’s Kelsey Bennett and the Malaysian trio of Ashley Lau, Audrey Tan and Natasha Andrea Oon.

Hamda Al Suwaidi, from the host nation of the United Arab Emirates, had the honour of hitting the first tee shot of the championship.

While Al Suwaidi did not have the best day on the course (she signed for a 92), she is a proud Emirati. “It was a lot of pressure and I was nervous but I was also honoured to represent the UAE. I hit the first shot and it went well.

“It’s a big opportunity for us to play against the best amateurs in the Asia-Pacific region. I learned a lot from this round and the practice sessions. It was such a good experience for me and of course for the rest of the UAE team.”

With a two-over 74, adopted Indian Natalii Gupta is the best-placed of the four UAE players after the opening round. Hannah Cheryl Alan and Alia Al Emadi carded rounds of 86 and 87 respectively.

The third edition of the championship, organised by The R&A and the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC), is being held in the UAE for the first time. The 72-hole strokeplay event runs until Saturday.

The four days of the championship are being broadcast live for four hours from 6am-10am GMT (10am-2pm UAE time) on TV across the region, as well as live streamed through The R&A’s YouTube and Facebook channels and on RandA.org.

The championship was won in its inaugural year by Thailand’s Atthaya Thitikul, who has graduated to become the number one player on the Ladies European Tour (LET) this season, and by Japan’s Yuka Yasuda in 2019.

WAAP is one of the most important events on the calendar for players from the Asia-Pacific region, with the champion golfer earning a place in two major championship fields – the AIG Women’s Open and the Amundi Evian Championship, as well as the Hana Financial Group Championship and an invitation to play in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.

The post Thai Natthakritta Vongtaveelap overcomes early jitters to soar to WAAP summit with opening 66 at Abu Dhabi G.C. appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By GolfDigestme.com
Korea’s Youmin Hwang and China’s Xiaowen Yin lead a strong field as the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific championship (WAAP) gets underway at Abu Dhabi Golf Club on Wednesday, with four local golfers also hoping for glory as they represent the UAE in one of the most important tournament s on the calendar for players in the Asia-Pacific region.

Hwang and Yin, the fourth and seventh ranked players in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, will feature in the third edition of the championship organised by The R&A and the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC), while the hosts will be represented by UAE national team regulars Alia Al Emadi and Hamda Al Suwaidi, as well as India’s Natalii Gupta and Hannah Cheryl Alan, who have been nominated by Emirates Golf Federation.

All will be battling it out for an important win which would secure places in three major championships – the AIG Women’s Open, The Amundi Evian Championship and the Hana Financial Group Championship, as well as an invitation to play in the prestigious Augusta National Women’s Amateur. A total of 78 players from 24 APGC nations are taking part this week.

Youmin Hwang.

The championship was won in its inaugural year by Thailand’s Atthaya Thitikul, who is currently leading the LET’s Race to Costa Del Sol ranking, and by Japan’s Yuka Yasuda in 2019, while Yuka Saso of the Philippines and Thailand’s Patty Tavanakit both became major winners this year after playing the inaugural WAAP in Singapore.

Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive at The R&A, said, “Our aims for this championship are to provide a platform for talented players and, in many cases, aspiring professionals to shine while also inspiring emerging players to learn to compete at the highest level.”

Taimur Hassan, chairman of APGC, added, “Over the years, our women players have led the way in major professional championships or global amateur events. We had a wonderful week with our men’s event in Dubai last week and we hope to continue the same at the fantastic Abu Dhabi Golf Club with our leading women golfers. With the help of the Emirates Golf Federation we are able to host this wonderful championship once again.”

Xiaowen Yin.

The four days of the championship will be broadcast live for four hours from 6am-10am GMT (10am-2pm UAE time) on TV across the region, as well as live streamed through The R&A’s YouTube and Facebook channels and on RandA.org. This continues The R&A’s summer of live golf coverage after the finals of The 118th Women’s Amateur Championship and The 126th Amateur Championship as well as the 41st Curtis Cup were also digitally broadcast on all these channels.

The WAAP was developed by The R&A and APGC to unearth emerging talent and provide a pathway for Asia’s elite women amateurs to the international stage. The R&A launched the Women in Golf Charter in 2018 and is committed to increasing the participation of women in the sport. The WAAP is one of several key championships conducted by the governing body and a significant initiative along with the APGC to drive the popularity of women’s golf in the region.

The post Four UAE hopefuls part of 2021 Women’s Asia-Pacific Championship field set to take starter’s orders at Abu Dhabi G.C. today appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
For a fresh reminder of where a strong performance in the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship (WAAP) might someday lead, the region’s best players need only rewind to last month’s Dubai Moonlight Classic.

Among the field at the Ladies European Tour event was Thailand’s Atthaya Thitikul, the winner of the inaugural WAAP in 2018.

Thitikul, who also finished runner-up to Yuka Yasuda in Japan two years ago, has already climbed inside the top 30 of the Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking within a year of turning professional. She also just clinched the Race to Costa Del Sol, the LET Order of Merit, at the Saudi Ladies International.

Need further evidence? How about Filipino Yuka Saso and Thai Patty Tavatanakit, who were tied second and tied 15th respectively in the inaugural WAAP in Singapore, becoming major winners this year. Tavatanakit won the ANA Inspiration in April and 19-year-old Saso was the US Women’s Open champion in June.

All of which makes the 3rd edition of the WAAP, which returns to the international schedule at Abu Dhabi G.C. this week after it was cancelled last year because of pandemic-related restrictions, a tournament to watch.

Organised by The R&A and the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC), WAAP has become the most important event in the region with the champion earning places in major two championships – the AIG Women’s Open and the Amundi Evian Championship – as well as an invitation to play in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.

Among those to keep tabs on during the 72-hole strokeplay event on The National layout are the reigning Korean amateur champion Youmin Hwang, who is ranked 6th in the world, and Chinese players Xiaowen Yin and Lei Ye, ranked 9th and 13th respectively. Alia Al Emadi, Hannah Cheryl Alan, Hamad Alsuwaidi and Natalii Gupta are listed to represent the UAE.

Youmin Hwang. Photo by Korean Golf Association

It will be Hwang’s maiden WAAP appearance but she is well aware of the opportunity it presents. The 19-year-old has been in fine form this year, winning two amateur titles in her home country after an impressive T-4 finish while playing against seasoned professionals in the DB Group Korea Women’s Open in June.

“As a player, you always want to compete against the best players in the world. Playing the WAAP in Abu Dhabi will be an exciting challenge for me. I am looking forward to testing my game on a formidable golf course like Abu Dhabi Golf Club and in foreign conditions,” said Hwang.

“The rewards of winning the championship are incredible. To be able to play two major championships and have a possibility of playing a round at Augusta National Golf Club, I know every player will try extra hard to finish on top of the leaderboard.”

Yin has been in outstanding form ever since golf made a comeback in China following the first COVID-19 lockdown last year. Since August 2020, she has played 13 events and won eight of them, including three professional titles on the China LPGA Tour).  Her worst finish has been 9th place in a professional tournament on August 20. Last year.

“I was fortunate to be part of the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific in 2019 and I did well to finish tied 12th in Japan,” said Yin. “However, I know I am a much better all-round player now and it would be amazing if I can add to my victories in Abu Dhabi.”

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What: 3rd Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship
Where: Abu Dhabi Golf Club
When: Nov. 10-13

The post Why the WAAP at Abu Dhabi G.C. this week is a likely barometer of professional things to come appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Ryan Herrington
Fears of the spreading coronavirus have caused officials with another significant golf tournament to change their plans.

The R&A on Saturday announced it was postponing the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship, scheduled for Feb. 12-15 at Siam Country Club in Pattaya, Thailand.

“The decision has been taken amid serious concerns for the safety of players and officials travelling during the current coronavirus outbreak,” said R&A chief executive Martin Slumbers in a press release. “Our utmost priority is to ensure their safety and the advice we have received in the last 24 hours is that we should not ask them to travel at this time.”

Rather than an outright postponement for the year, however, the R&A is hopefully it can reschedule the event later this year.

This news came shortly after the LPGA announced it was cancelling its March event on China’s Hainan Island. Interestingly, however, the LPGA has a tour event, the Honda LPGA Thailand, to be played at Siam Country Club in two weeks that remains on schedule.

The PGA Tour-China series has also postponed a qualifying event in Indonesia with a possible delay coming for its regular season.

The coronavirus had reportedly taken more than 700 lives with more than 34,000 cases reported in China.

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