Singapore: Team Korea will be looking to make history at this week’s World Amateur Team Championships (WATC) as they bid to become the first nation since 2012 to successfully defend the Espirito Santo Trophy.

The Koreans clinched the title in 2023 in Abu Dhabi, finishing four strokes ahead of Chinese Taipei and five clear of Spain. They will be seeking to replicate that success with an entirely new line-up featuring Sung Ai-jin, Park Seo-jin and Oh Soo-min.

Particular attention will be focused on Oh, runner-up in this year’s Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific and winner of the individual title at the Queen Sirikit Cup, the Asia-Pacific Women’s Invitational Team Championships.

Asked about feeling the pressure that comes with being the defending champions, Won Ko-sang, Director of International Affairs and High Performance, Korea Golf Association (KGA), said: “Actually, we don't have to (feel the pressure). While we are here as defending champions, they were not there. They are all newbies. So, I keep telling them you’ve done enough. Just go out and enjoy the game.”

Meanwhile, Team Singapore coach Murray Smit believes that thorough preparations and home advantage on the Tampines Course at Tanah Merah Country Club could provide an edge for the host nation when the championships tee-off tomorrow.

This year marks the first time the WATC will be hosted by the Singapore Golf Association (SGA) and is Singapore’s eighth appearance in the Women’s World Amateur Team Championship, having previously competed in 1984, 2008, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2022 and 2023.

Smit said: “There are not too many times you get the opportunity to play in your home country at such a phenomenal event, the biggest amateur team event in the world.

“We have prepared well, and I know that all of the ladies are already looking forward to the opportunity to compete in front of their friends and family. We’re just looking forward to the challenge that's ahead of us this week.

“We've had some really good results in the last two outings, both in Paris and in Abu Dhabi. Inez finished top-five in Abu Dhabi as well, which was a phenomenal performance. I think the goal for the week is just to continue to build on the strong performances that we've put in over the last two tournaments and take it from there.”

Flying the flag for the host nation is a youthful but accomplished trio, with 16-year-old Chen Xingtong expected to feature prominently on the leaderboard, having established herself as one of the brightest prospects in Asian golf.

In July, Chen battled her way to the final of the US Girls’ Junior, losing 2&1 to Canadian standout Aphrodite Deng in the 36-hole championship match.

Closer to home, Chen has already racked up victories at the Singapore Junior Golf Championship and the Singapore Open Amateur Championship, while also turning heads with a tied-ninth finish at The R&A Junior Open in 2024.

“I think my run at the US Girls’ Junior mostly gave me a lot of confidence that I was able to compete at such a high level. What I'm looking to take into this week is just being able to trust my game and know that I have what it takes to compete at this level,” said Chen.

Joining her is 22-year-old Inez Ng, an undergraduate at the University of North Carolina (UNC), whose collegiate career has been marked by both consistency and brilliance.

Ng tied the UNC record for score to par (-12) on her way to clinching her maiden college victory at the 2024 Cavalier Regional Preview, and also showcased her competitive edge with a third-place finish at the Pacific Northwest Women’s Amateur Championship.

Rounding out the team is 19-year-old Valencia Chang, a sophomore at the University of North Carolina-Wilmington, who brings valuable international experience and a steady presence to the Singapore side. Together, the trio will aim to better the country’s best-ever WATC result of tied-20th, achieved in Abu Dhabi in 2023.

Hosted by the SGA and conducted by the International Golf Federation (IGF), the WATC is held every two years and is widely regarded as the pinnacle of amateur team golf.

The women are contesting the Espirito Santo Trophy from October 1-4, followed by the men competing for the Eisenhower Trophy from October 8-11.

In total, 36 teams will vie for honours in each championship. This year marks only the fifth time the WATC is being staged in Asia, with previous editions held in Japan (2014), Malaysia (2002), the Philippines (1996), and Hong Kong, China (1984).