Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Reigning APGC Junior Girls' champion Kritchanya Kaopattanaskul led a Thai sweep of the top-five spots at the Maybank Championship ASEAN Qualifier. Their reward is a coveted start at the US$3 million LPGA showpiece at Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club (KLGCC) from October 30-November 2.
Ranked 53rd on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), the 17-year-old Kritchanya was in scorching form at KLGCC’s West Course as she carded rounds of 66 and 70 to top the leaderboard with a 36-hole aggregate of seven-under-par 137.
Runner-up honours went to another rising Thai talent, Achiraya Sriwong, who is one year younger than Kritchanya. Nicknamed ‘One-On’, Achiraya added a closing 67 to her first round 72 to storm up the leaderboard into second spot on five-under-par 139.
At 41st spot on the WAGR, Achiraya was the highest-ranked amateur in the 69-player field, made up of professionals and elite amateurs from Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and the Philippines. She is a two-time Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific participant, finishing outright third at Siam Country Clubb in 2023 and tied 13th in this year’s championship at Vietnam’s Hoiana Shores Golf Club where Kritchanya was the leading Thai in joint ninth spot.
Reflecting the strength in depth of Thai amateur golf, another 16-year-old from the Land of Smiles, Namo Luangnitikul, claimed third place on even-par 144 following rounds of 73 and 71. The final two qualifying spots went to Thai professionals Cholcheva Wongras (75, 71) and Kan Bunnabodee (74, 72), who tied for fourth on two-over 146.
“I’m very happy to have qualified to play in the Maybank Championship on the LPGA Tour. It means a lot to me. It’ll be my first professional tournament outside of Thailand, and I hope I can play as well in October as I did over the past two days,” said Kritchanya, whose maiden outing on Malaysian soil was made sweeter by her first-ever hole-in-one at the par-three fourth hole during the first round.
The Malaysian duo of Ng Jing Xuen and Genevieve Ling missed forcing a play-off for the fifth qualifying spot by just one shot, finishing joint sixth on three-over 147. Ng, the 2023 Southeast Asian Games individual gold medallist, bounced back from a disappointing opening 77 with a solid second round 70, but the 16-year-old came up just short.
“It was just a bummer I didn’t do well on my back nine yesterday. Other than that, I felt my game was trending, unlike last year. That’s the progress I’m proud of and I know eventually, if it’s my time, then it’ll be my time,” said Ng, who turned professional in late 2024.
Inaugurated in 2024, the ASEAN Qualifier is part of Maybank’s vision to help elevate regional talent by providing opportunities to compete on a global platform. Last year’s Maybank Championship saw China’s Yin Ruoning triumph with a total score of 23-under 265, one shot ahead of Thailand’s Atthaya ‘Jeeno’ Thitikul, winner of the inaugural Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific in 2018. Korean Ryu Hae-ran was a shot further back in third place.
