Miyazaki, Japan: Hosts Japan made an encouraging start in their quest to end a home hoodoo in the Queen Sirikit Cup.

Thanks to three-under-par 69s from Aira Nagasawa and Anna Iwanaga, Japan swept into the lead after the opening round of the 45th edition of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Ladies Golf Team Championship.

With an aggregate score of six-under 138 in the 13-nation event in which the best two daily scores in each three-strong team are counted, the Japanese will head into Wednesday’s second round with a one-stroke lead from defending champions Korea.

There is then a four-shot gap back to Thailand in third on 143. They are followed by China (146), Hong Kong, China and Singapore (both 147), India and Vietnam (both 149), Australia and Indonesia (both 150), Chinese Taipei and Malaysia (both 151) and the Philippines (158).

In the individual standings, Nagasawa and Iwanaga were joined at the top of the leaderboard by Korean Oh Soo-min, 10th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) and bidding to retain the low individual award she claimed in New Zealand last year.

Runner-up at last year’s R&A Junior Open in Scotland and winner of the girls’ category at The Royal Junior last month, Iwanaga made a blistering start, racing to four-under after eight holes. However, a bogey at nine slowed her progress and she had to satisfy herself with an inward even-par 36.

“The front nine went well, but I couldn’t take the birdie chances on the back nine,” said Iwanaga, who is well aware that the Japanese team is bidding to defy history by winning on home soil for the first time. Japan has finished runner-up on each of the three previous occasions it has played host to the Queen Sirikit Cup (1981, 1995 and 2008).

She added: “Our team in working hard and since the tournament is being held in Japan, I’m especially motivated to perform well.”

For her part, Nagasawa saved her best for the back nine. She was even-par through 11 holes before compiling three straight birdies from the 14th to match the efforts of Iwanaga and Oh.

Oh, whose round included four birdies against a solitary bogey, said: “I had some good positions (off the tee), but I couldn’t take advantage so it was a bit disappointing.”

After competing her round, Oh, runner-up in the 2025 Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific in Vietnam in March, heading to the practice putting green. “If I can make some adjustments to my putting, I think I can make a better score tomorrow,” she added.

In tricky conditions on the tree-lined layout, just eight of the 39 players in the starting line-up bettered par on the Tom Watson Golf Course at the Phoenix Seagaia Resort.

Hong Su-min of Korea and Singaporean Jaymie Ng both kicked-off their campaigns with two-under 70s, while Jazy Roberts of Australia, Thai Prim Prachnakorn and China’s Liu Yujie all carded 71s.

Several of the pre-event favourites struggled to find their range.

There were 75s from Zhou Shiyuan and Xu Ying, both of whom boast victories on the China LPGA Tour, and 76s for Thai Achiraya Sriwong and Japan’s Mamika Shinchi, both in the top-50 in the WAGR.

Australian Sarah Hammett, the individual runner-up last year, signed for an 83 which included a triple-bogey eight at the par-five 16th.

Team - Full First Round Scores

138 – Japan
139 – Korea
143 – Thailand
146 – China
147 – Hong Kong, China; Singapore
149 – India; Vietnam
150 – Australia; Indonesia
151 – Chinese Taipei; Malaysia
158 – Philippines

Individual - Full First Round Scores

69 – Aira Nagasawa (Japan); Anna Iwanaga (Japan); Oh Soo-min (Korea)
70 – Hong Su-min (Korea); Jaymie Ng (Singapore)
71 – Jazy Roberts (Australia); Prim Prachnakorn (Thailand); Liu Yujie (China)
72 – Bianca Naomi Laksono (Indonesia); Hee Jie Piang (Malaysia); Thitikarn Thapasit (Thailand)
73 – Anna Le (Vietnam); Sophie Han (Hong Kong, China); Zara Anand (India)
74 – Elin Wang (Hong Kong, China); Jung Min-seo (Korea); Hsieh Ping-hua (Chinese Taipei)
75 – Sabrina Wong (Hong Kong, China); Zhou Shiyuan (China); Xu Ying (China)
76 – Achiraya Sriwong (Thailand); Heena Kang (India); Mamika Shinchi (Japan); Nguyen Vu Hoang Anh (Vietnam)
77 – Grace Quintanilla (Philippines); Mannat Brar (India); Wu Shuang (Chinese Taipei); Chen Xingtong (Singapore)
78 – Caithlyn Ong (Indonesia)
79 – Rachel Lee (Australia); Xin Yao Wang (Malaysia)
80 – Chang Ting-yu (Chinese Taipei)
81 – Reese Allyson Ng (Philippines)
82 – Adrianna Prewa Sim (Malaysia); Arena Tran (Vietnam)
83 – Lisa Sarines (Philippines); Sarah Hammett (Australia); Thea Jessica Tan (Indonesia)
DNF – Sydnie Ng (Singapore)