Pattaya, Thailand: Chinese Taipei’s Wu Chun-wei survived an excruciatingly tense final round to pull off the biggest upset win in Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific (WAAP) championship history.
A modest 264th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), the 19-year-old endured numerous moments of high stress before completing a wire-to-wire success at Siam Country Club’s (SCC) Waterside Course, upstaging a star-studded line-up.
Struggling to find the free-wheeling form she displayed over the first three days, Wu closed with a nerve-ridden even-par 72 to secure a victory that will catapult her into the global golfing spotlight in 2024.
After feasting on birdies for the first three days, it proved tough going for Wu to get over the finish line. Four shots clear of the field following the opening 54 holes – during which she dropped only one stroke – Wu wobbled with four bogeys on a final-day roller-coaster ride.
With her lead reduced to a single stroke after 14 holes, Wu displayed her mettle, digging deep to make crucial birdies at the 15th and 17th, where she began celebrating even before her 28-footer reached its intended target.
“Incredible! This is the first time I’ve won a big tournament,” said Wu, whose 72-hole aggregate of 18-under 270 was two strokes clear of runner-up Lee Hyo-song, the 15-year-old Korean.
Achiraya Sriwong was a further stroke back in third after a 66, the best round of the final day, with fellow-Thai Pimpisa Rubrong, fourth on 274. Rianne Mikhaela Malixi of the Philippines and world number four Kim Min-sol of Korea ended joint fifth on 275.
As well as bettering the previous best WAAP winning total of 272 set by Mizuki Hashimoto at Abu Dhabi Golf Club in 2021, Wu is only the second champion to lead on all four days, following Thai Atthaya Thitikul in Singapore in 2018. Earlier in the week she also set new championship records for best 36-hole score (132), best middle 36-hole score (131) and best 54-hole score (198).
In addition to winning the Rae-Vadee T. Suwan Champion’s Medal, Wu will be rewarded with starts in three major championships in 2024 - the AIG Women’s Open at St Andrews, the Amundi Evian Championship in France and the Chevron Championship in the United States of America.
Furthermore, she’ll receive invitations to a handful of other elite championships such as the Hana Financial Group Championship, ISPS HANDA Women’s Australian Open, The 121st Women’s Amateur Championship and the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
Among those who were not surprised at Wu’s success was her compatriot Tiffany Huang Ting-hsuan, winner of the 2022 WAAP at SCC.
Huang, unable to be present this week due to college commitment in the United States, said: “I’ve known her since I was 10. We’ve been good friends, growing up together, practicing together, representing the national team in international competitions. We were even roommates.
“I’ve also been her practice partner, exchanging skills and seeking advice from each other. I’ve always admired her explosive playing style and accurate putting, often asking her for tips.
“I remember when I was winning in 2022 when we were roommates. She confidently told me she would win next time.”
With such high stakes on offer, it was understandable that all of the leaders should make nervy starts.
After 41 holes without a bogey, Wu dropped shots at the first and third as she saw her overnight lead trimmed in half. A textbook birdie at the par-four fourth, where she wedged to six feet and rolled home the uphill putt, calmed the nerves, a fist pump betraying her relief. Another birdie at the long sixth saw her return to even-par for the day and restore her four-shot advantage.
But a bogey at nine prompted self-doubt to creep back into her mind and a further dropped shot at 14 gave hope to her prime pursuers, Lee and Achiraya.
Lee herself recovered from a poor opening tee-shot but was left to rue untimely errors at the sixth and 12th as she signed off with a 69 on a course where she finished tied third with Malixi in the 2022 WAAP.
With a brilliant run of five successive birdies from the seventh hole, Achiraya moved to within two of the lead. But a three-putt bogey at the 12th left her with just too much to do.
Playing alongside Wu in the final flight, it was a day of frustration for Malixi and China’s Zhang Yahui, neither of whom could buy a putt. Following her record-breaking 63 in round three, Malixi had just one birdie in a 73 while Zhang carded a 74.
Thailand’s Eila Galitsky ended her reign as champion with a 70 to finish in a share of 26th place on four-under 284 – three shots behind Japan’s Hashimoto, who ended tied 14th.
