Hashimoto Rises in World Amateur Golf Ranking

Singapore: Mizuki Hashimoto has made an emphatic move up the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) following her victory in last week’s Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship.

The Japanese player was the ultimate model of consistency over 72 holes, returning four consecutive 68s at Abu Dhabi Golf Club to finish on 16-under 272 and win by one shot over a trio of players.

The 19-year-old earns spots in next year’s AIG Women’s Open, Amundi Evian Championship, the Hana Financial Group Championship and the Augusta National Women’s Amateur. She also makes an 87-ranking jump to 34th, a career high.

Second place finishers Kelsey Bennett of Australia and Thai pair Kan Bunnabodee and Natthakritta Vongtaveelap also reach career high status.

Kan climbs 36 spots to 116th, Natthakritta rises 31 positions to 118th, while Bennett is 83 places better off in 126th.

The biggest mover of the week was Ida Ayu Indira Melati.

The Indonesian climbs 683 positions to 1,599th thanks to finishing 11th in the Women's Amateur Asia-Pacific. Melati, who has been as high as 74th on the WAGR table, won the fifth Olympic Jabar Amateur Open in her homeland earlier this year.

In the men’s rankings, China’s Jin Bo, who placed equal third in the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship a fortnight ago, returns to the top 20 with a one-ranking rise to 20th.

Meanwhile, Indian Yuvraj Singh soars 1,302 spots to 1,115th with victory in the Jharkhand Amateur Championship at Golmuri Golf Club in Jamshedpur.

Singh opened with scores of 67 and 72 before a third round 63 put him in pole position to win the title. He duly did so with a closing 71 for a 273 total and a one-shot win.