Augusta, Georgia, United States: While world number one Rose Zhang was quickly into her stride, Asia-Pacific representatives made a slow start to the fourth edition of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur (ANWA).
With a bogey-free six-under 66 at Champions Retreat, Stanford sophomore Zhang set a new 18-hole Championship record and claimed the first-round lead.
Sweden’s Andrea Lignell sits one stroke back in second place with University of Georgia’s Jenny Bae third on three-under 69, followed by San Jose State’s Antonia Malate, University of Illinois’ Crystal Wang and University of Kentucky’s Jensen Castle, who are tied for fourth at two-under 70.
The only two Asia-Pacific players in red figures are Chinese Taipei’s Lu Hsin-yu and Korean Lim Ji-yoo, among six players tied for seventh on 71.
Of the 10 Japanese players in the starting line-up, the best effort came from Yuna Araki with an even-par 72, leaving her alongside New Zealander Fiona Xu in joint 13th.
Korean Park Bo-hyun is tied 16th on 73 with the Japanese duo of Nika Ito and Saki Baba among nine players on two-over 74. Playing alongside pace-setting Zhang, Baba, the US Women’s Amateur champion, offset four birdies with four bogeys and a double-bogey six at the par-four fifth, her 14th hole of the day.
There is precious margin for error for Baba on day two at Champions Retreat. Following the completion of the second round, a cut will be made with the top 30 players and ties advancing to Saturday’s final round at Augusta National Golf Club. All participants will play a practice round at Augusta National, the home of the Masters Tournament, on Friday.
The last three winners of the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific (WAAP) have all left themselves work to do if they’re to make it through to the final round.
Thai Eila Galitsky, triumphant in the 2023 WAAP three weeks ago in Singapore, signed for a 76 which contained a double-bogey seven at the long, while Japan’s Mizuki Hashmoto (2021 WAAP winner) could only manage a 78.
Chinese Taipei’s Tiffany Huang Ting-hsuan, the 2022 WAAP champion, ran up eight bogeys against a solitary birdie in a 79 that leavers her languishing in a share of 67th spot on 79.
Day one also proved a struggle for Tsubasa Kajitani. The Japanese winner of the ANWA in 2021 had two double-bogeys and one triple in an 84 that leaves her propping up the field.
For her part, world number one Zhang had reasons to be cheerful. She said: “I’m super honoured. I’ve seen the golf course pretty often the last couple of years. So, I kind of know, for the most part, what I’m going to get out here.
“But I think it’s just the level of grinding and the mindset that I have that allows me to know that, even if I don’t have my best game, especially the last couple years, certain mishaps have popped up.
“With that in mind, I’m just kind of taking everything in my stride and allowing myself to, you know, if I do make mistakes, I can come back. So that really helps my mindset today.”
