Prashanth Fires 68 to Boost Indian Prospects

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates: Playing in its sixth Women’s World Amateur Team Championship (WWATC), India had its best start in competition history.

On the strength of a four-under-par 68 from Avani Prashanth and an even-par 72 from Mannat Brar, India ended the opening round at Abu Dhabi Golf Club in a share of fourth place with Korea and Germany.

Winner of the individual title at this year's Queen Sirikit Cup in the Philippines and a member of the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation's Patsy Hankins Trophy team in Spain in August, Prashanth's bogey-free round was the lowest score by a player from India in WWATC history.

With a team total of 140, India are three strokes behind pace-setting Spain, who hold a one-stroke lead over Canada.

Of the other Asia-Pacific countries competing in the 36-nation event, Australia and Thailand are tied for seventh on 141, followed by the Philippines (tied 13th, 143), Chinese Taipei (tied 17th, 144), Hong Kong China, Japan and Singapore (tied 23rd, 145), New Zealand (tied 28th, 148), United Arab Emirates (31st, 150), Pakistan (tied 32nd, 151), and China (34th, 152).   

Cayetana Fernandez Garcia-Poggio, number two in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), posted a 68 and 2023 European Ladies’ Amateur champion Julia Lopez Ramirez (fifth) added a 69 to position Spain at seven-under 137, one head of the Canadians and two in front of Ireland.

Fernandez Garcia-Poggio’s round included six birdies against two bogeys. Lopez Ramirez, who was one of two amateurs to make the 36-hole cut in the 2023 AIG Women’s Open, totalled four birdies and a bogey, while team-mate Carla Bernat Escuder posted a non-counting 70.

“I was hitting good shots, but the putts weren’t going in,” said Fernandez Garcia-Poggio, a freshman at Texas A&M University. “I almost hit a hole-in-one [on the fourth hole] and that helped me make more birdies.”

Spain, which finished fifth last year in France after a heart-breaking double-bogey from Fernandez Garcia-Poggio on the 72nd hole to fall out of the lead, is seeking its first WWATC medal since claiming silver in 2008 in Australia.

“I’m really happy for us with this start,” said Spain Captain Mar Ruiz de la Torre. “They are playing really well. We can’t ask for a better start in the tournament.”

Canada rode a pair of 68s in the afternoon from 2022 US Women’s Amateur runner-up Monet Chun and 2023 Canadian Women’s Amateur champion Lauren Kim to post a six-under total of 138. Chun, who became the first Canadian to make the cut at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur in April, tallied six birdies and three bogeys.

“There’s a lot of golf to play but a good start is always helpful,” said Chun, a senior at the University of Michigan. “I’m hitting it pretty consistent. Some of the putts went in so that really helped with the birdies, but hopefully tomorrow I’ll make less bogeys and put in a good round.”

Ireland’s Sara Byrne, Indian Prashanth and Japan’s Mamika Shinchi matched Fernandez Garcia-Poggio’s 68 for the low rounds of the day. Ireland used a combination of Byrne’s 68 and a 71 from Beth Coulter to post a five-under 139 and hold solo third place.

Germany was led by a bogey-free 69 from Chiara Horder, the team’s playing captain who is a junior at Texas Tech University, and a 71 from Celina Sattelkau.

“We want to be up there [on the leaderboard], we want to get medals and play for the win,” said Horder, the 2023 British Women’s Amateur champion. “It feels good to have a good start and to contribute to the team.”

The host nation United Arab Emirates, which is competing in its first WWATC, is in 31st place (six-over 150) after the opening round.