Tokyo, Japan: Achiraya Sriwong and Liao Hsin-chun led the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) challenge on the opening day of The Royal Junior tournament.
Thai Achiraya and Chinese Taipei’s Liao returned one-over-par 73s at The Royal Golf Club in Tokyo.
That gave them a share of the lead in the girls’ tournament alongside a quintet of talented Japanese youngsters – Chaki Shio, Miyagi Yu, Yamashita Koharu, Iijima Saori and Tokunaga Ayumi.
Just one stroke off the pace is Rianne Malixi of the Philippines.
In the boys’ tournament, the leaderboard is equally tight with the Japanese trio of Kobayashi Shoon, Takeda Kota and Maruo Reo setting the early pace with matching 71s.
Among three players in joint fourth on 73 is Singapore’s Daryl Low.
It was a testing day, though, for the remaining APGC representatives, including New Zealand’s Zack Swanwick, who carded a 79.
The 17-year-old Swanwick, from Napier Golf Club on New Zealand’s north island, arrived in Japan on a high following his victory in last week’s Australian Junior Amateur, which saw him rise to 163rd in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.
Among the dignitaries present at The Royal Junior are APGC Chairman Taimur Hassan Amin and APGC Board Members Nicki Hirayama and Yoshihiro Nishi.
Amin said: “Given the commitment of the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation to promoting junior golf and nurturing and developing stars of the future from our region, we’re especially proud to be endorsing The Royal Junior 2023.
“Congratulations go to Akira Wakabayashi and the team at Nippon Kabaya Ohayo Holdings Inc for their vision and foresight in extending an invitation to the APGC to select 10 boys and 10 girls from different countries to make it a high standard international tournament.
“The Royal Junior initiative is also a fabulous extension of the backing they give to the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship and Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific.”
Leading Boys’ Scores
71 – Kobayashi Shoon (Japan); Takeda Kota (Japan); Maruo Reo (Japan)
73 – Fujii Taiki (Japan); Daryl Low (Singapore); Sato Kaito (Japan)
74 – Matsunami Shoki (Japan); Ando Hikaru (Japan); Iida Yuma (Japan)
Selected Scores
76 – Chen Chi-chun (Chinese Taipei)
77 – Shinichi Suzuki (Philippines)
78 – Jordan Indra Marcello (Indonesia)
79 – Lin Xingzhi (Hong Kong, China); Zack Swanwick (New Zealand)
83 – Teerawut Boonseeor (Thailand)
84 – Nateeshvar Anatha Ganesh (Malaysia)
Leading Girls’ Scores
73 – Chaki Shio (Japan); Miyagi Yu (Japan); Yamashita Koharu (Japan); Achiraya Sriwong (Thailand); Iijima Saori (Japan); Liao Hsin-chun (Chinese Taipei); Tokunaga Ayumi (Japan)
74 – Rianne Malixi (Philippines); Suga Fuka (Japan)
Selected Scores
76 – Ng Jing Xuen (Malaysia)
77 – Jaymie Ng (Singapore); Lee Hyo-song (Korea); Eunseo Choi (New Zealand)
79 – Navaporn Soontreeyapas (Thailand)
80 – Jessica Tan (Indonesia)
83 – Sophie Han (Hong Kong, China)
