Faultless Natthakritta Stays Ahead of the Pack

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: Thai Natthakritta Vongtaveelap posted a bogey-free four-under-par 68 to keep her two-shot lead intact at the half-way stage of the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific championship (WAAP).

At Abu Dhabi Golf Club’s National Course, Natthakritta stayed in control, carding four birdies, which moved her to 10-under-par.

Japan’s Mizuki Hashimoto added a second straight 68 to move to eight-under-par. She was joined in tied-second position by Australian Kelsey Bennett (67).

Indian Anika Varma (68), one of only two players in the field not to drop a shot in the first 36 holes, is in solo fourth place at seven-under-par 137.

Korean Hwang You-min (69), the highest-ranked player in the championship at number four in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), and compatriot Lee Jeong-hyun (68), the youngest in the field, are in a group of four players tied for the fifth place at 138. Australian Cassie Porter and Malaysian Ashley Lau joined them with three-under-par rounds of 69.

The third edition of the championship, organised by The R&A and the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation, is being held in Abu Dhabi. The final round for the four-day competition takes place on Saturday.

“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 Natthakritta, who made birdies on 15 and 18 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,” she said.

Hashimoto, the 19-year-old WAGR number 114 from Hyogo, started from the 10th tee and made the turn in one-under with a birdie on the 14th, and caught up with leader Natthakritta at eight-under, before the Thai edged ahead.

“I played well today. My tee shots were much better than yesterday,” said Hashimoto. “My first goal was to make the cut this week and I’m so happy that I did that.”

Bennett, a 22-year-old from Mollymook in New South Wales, made a 30-foot putt from a off the green for one of her six birdies. She picked up four shots on her back nine, including a long birdie putt on the 18th hole.

“I was struggling on the front nine. My putting just didn’t feel quite right but I got the hang of it on the back nine. I birdied 10, and it just sort of started me off. I hit a few close wedges, which were handy,” said the WAGR number 207.

It was an excellent day for the Thai players with Kan Bunnabodee firing an eight-under-par 64 to move into the top-10 and equal the lowest round in WAAP history which was set by Becky Kay of Australia during the first round of the 2019 edition played at the Royal Golf Club in Japan.

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

Indian Natalii Gupta, a nominated player of the Emirates Golf Federation (EGF), was the only local player to make the cut, adding a three-under 69 to her 74 on Wednesday. At one-under, she is tied for 26th place.

“It was a good day. 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,” said 17-year-old Gupta.

“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 half-way cut fell at two-over-par 146 with 51 players from 12 countries making it through to the final two rounds.