Magical Mizuki Puts Japan in Pole Position

Singapore: Mizuki Hashimoto hauled Japan into contention for a first Queen Sirikit Cup title for two decades with a sparkling second-round performance at Laguna National Golf Resort Club.

Winner of last year’s Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific, Hashimoto carded a brilliant eight-under-par 64 over the Masters Course on a weather-hit day at the award-winning Singapore venue.

As well as sweeping to the top of the individual standings on 10-under 134, the teenager’s performance enabled Japan to overhaul Korea at the top of the leaderboard in the team event.

With Miku Ueta signing for a 68, Japan posted a second-round aggregate of 12-under 132 in the team event in which the best two daily scores from each three-player team are counted. So well did the Japanese trio play that they had the luxury of not counting Ayaka Tezuka’s 72.

Chasing their seventh Queen Sirikit Cup team title but their first since 2002, Japan will head into Thursday’s third round with a score of 16-under 272. That’s four clear of second-placed Korea, the first-round leaders and the dominant force in the Queen Sirikit Cup having won 12 of the past 13 editions of the event that is also known as the Asia Pacific Amateur Ladies Team Championship.

New Zealand are third on 279 followed by hosts Singapore (287), Chinese Taipei (288), Australia and Malaysia (both 291), Thailand (293), India (295), Hong Kong (303), Indonesia (307), the Philippines (312), and Myanmar (342).

Following a steady opening-day 70, Hashimoto sparked into life in the second round, birdies at the second, third, fifth, sixth and ninth enabling her to turn in five-under 31.

There was no let up on the back nine as the 19-year-old gained further shots at the 10th, 12th and 13th to move to eight-under. Finally her progress was stalled with a bogey at 14. A par at the long 15th followed before a lightning warning halted play at 1.10 pm local time.

When play resumed at 4.40 pm, Hashimoto, 57th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, held her nerve making pars at 16 and 17 before finishing with a flourish, snaring her ninth birdie of the day when she chipped in from off the back of the final green, prompting a roar and a fist pump.

First-round individual leader Lee Ji-hyun of Korea endured a difficult start with a double-bogey seven at the 11th, her second hole of the day. She was two-over through 12 holes but battled back to cover the final six holes in three-under for a gutsy 71 that leaves her three strokes behind Hashimoto.

Two shots further back in a share of third place are Ueta, Korean Kim Min-byeol and New Zealand’s Fiona Xu.

For the second day in succession, Singapore’s Shannon Tan carded a two-under 70 putting her in joint sixth on 140.

Individual Scores

134 – Mizuki Hashimoto (Japan) 70-64
137 – Lee Ji-hyun (Korea) 66-71
139 – Miku Ueta (Japan) 71-68; Fiona Xu (New Zealand) 70-69; Kim Min-byeol (Korea) 70-69
140 – Vivian Lu (New Zealand) 72-68; Shannon Tan (Singapore) 70-70
142 – Ayaka Tezuka (Japan) 70-72
144 – Zulaikah Nurziana Bt Nasser (Malaysia) 73-71; Huang Ting-hsuan (Chinese Taipei) 73-71
145 – Kirsten Rudgeley (Australia) 73-72
146 – Thitikarn Thapasit (Thailand) 75-71; Jaymie Ng (Singapore) 74-72; Bang Shin-sil (Korea) 73-73
147 – Sneha Singh (India) 75-72; Liyana Durisic (Malaysia) 75-72; Pimpisa Rubrong (Thailand) 74-73
148 – Avani Prashanth (India) 75-73; Liao Hsin-chun (Chinese Taipei) 72-76
149 – Yoko Tai (Singapore) 75-74; Chloe Chan (Hong Kong) 73-76
150 – Kelsey Bennett (Australia) 77-73; Natthakritta Vongtaveelap (Thailand) 77-73; Caitlin Peirce (Australia) 73-77
151 – Wu Chen-wei (Chinese Taipei) 79-72; Arnie Pauline Taguines (Philippines) 76-75; Choi Eun-seo (New Zealand) 72-79
154 – Bianca Naomi Amina Lakssono (Indonesia) 80-74; Khaing Phu Pwint Yati (Myanmar) 76-78
155 – Rayi Geulis Zullandari (Indonesia) 80-75
156 – Arianna Lau (Hong Kong) 78-78
157 – Wang Xin-yi (Hong Kong) 81-76; Elaine Widjaja (Indonesia) 78-79
158 – Ng Jing Xuen (Malaysia) 82-76
161 – Samantha Marie Dizon (Philippines) 80-81
162 – Janniya Dassani (India) 80-82
188 – Khin Moe Pyae Sone (Myanmar) 95-93
213 – Phoo Zayar Wai (Myanmar) 111-102

NR – Lois Kaye Go (Philippines)

Team Scores

272 – Japan 140-132
276 – Korea 136-140
279 – New Zealand 142-137
287 – Singapore 144-143
288 – Chinese Taipei 145-143
291 – Malaysia 148-143; Australia 146-145
293 – Thailand 149-144
295 – India 150-145
303 – Hong Kong 151-152
307 – Indonesia 158-149
312 – Philippines 156-156
342 – Myanmar 171-171