Daejeon, Korea: Oh Soo-min has regained her place among the top-10 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) after successfully defending her title at the 49th Kang Min Koo Cup Korea Women’s Amateur Championship.

Oh snared six birdies in a closing three-under-par 69 at Yuseong Country Club. That gave her a 72-hole total of 11-under 277 and a two-stroke victory from fellow national squad members Yang Yoon-seo and Park Seo-jin.

Reflecting on her latest triumph, Oh said: “I played in the final group with my closest friend (Park), and we just enjoyed the round without getting too nervous. To defend this title at home … it’s a moment I’ll remember even after turning pro.”

Oh is only the third player in the event’s 49-year history to win back-to-back titles, joining Won Jae-sook (1986, 1987 and 1988) and Lee Hyo-song (2022 and 2023).

The victory continued a stunning run of success for Oh, who was runner-up in the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific (WAAP) in Vietnam in March and claimed top individual honours in the Asia-Pacific Women’s Amateur Invitational Team Championship for the Queen Sirikit Cup in Japan in May.

With her win at Yuseong Country Club, Oh has climbed four places to 10th in the WAGR. She is the highest ranked Korean and third among Asia-Pacific players behind only Malaysian Mirabel Ting (second) and Rianne Malixi of the Philippines (eighth).

Also making progress in the WAGR were Japan’s Mamika Shinchi and Australian Jazy Roberts.

Making the most of home advantage, Shinchi triumphed in the Toyota Junior World Cup where she carded scores of 64, 69, 71 and 71 for a 13-under total and a two-shot winning margin.

A member of the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation team that won the Solheim Cup-style Patsy Hankins Trophy against the European Golf Association in January, Shinchi rises seven places to 44th in the WAGR.

For her part, Roberts maintained her good form with a runner-up finish in the North & South Women's Amateur Championship over the No 2 Course at Pinehurst.

In the tournament that dates back to 1903, Roberts was beaten 2&1 by American Mackenzie Lee in the final.

Despite the disappointment of being edged out, Roberts has soared 22 spots to 91st in the WAGR, a career-high for the Australian who reached the last 16 in The 122nd Women’s Amateur Championship in Scotland last month.

In other notable performances this year, Roberts was joint fourth in the WAAP in Vietnam and sixth individually in the Queen Sirikit Cup.