Three-Way Tie at the Top in Women's Showpiece

Singapore: Eila Galitsky and Sophie Han joined overnight leader Kim Min-sol on top of the leaderboard at the half-way stage of the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific (WAAP) championship. 

In Friday’s second round at Singapore Island Country Club, 16-year-old Galitsky (67) and 15-year-old Han (68) played in the morning and made the most of the favourable conditions with solid rounds.

Thai Galitsky was on song with her wedges, while Hong Kong, China’s Han rode a red-hot putter as they set the marker in the clubhouse at eight-under-par 136, matched later in the day by Korean Kim (69).

Korean Lim Ji-yoo shot the round of the day, a bogey-free eight-under-par 64, matching the championship record for the lowest round held jointly by Thailand’s Kan Bunnabodee (Abu Dhabi 2021, second round) and Australian Becky Kay (2019 Japan, first round).

Ten shots better than her opening first round, Lim move up the leaderboard to tied fourth position at six-under-par 138, where she was joined by China’s Ni Zixin (70).

The cut was made at six-over-par 150, with 51 players advancing to the weekend rounds. Among those who made the cut was China’s 12-year-old Liu Yujie (77, tied 32nd), and Doan Xuan Khue Minh (73, tied 42nd), the first player from Vietnam to play all four days of the championship.

Galitsky, a quarter-finalist in the 2022 R&A Girls’ Amateur Championship at Carnoustie and tied 35th in WAAP in Thailand last year, said she could feel her game trending in the right direction lately.

After a bogey-free round, the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) number 193 said: “I have been working with my Scottish coach, Scott Goldie, for the last six months and I can feel a big difference. I was in the middle of a swing change at last year’s WAAP, but I am feeling really comfortable with my new swing now.

“My wedges were very good today and most of my birdie putts were inside six to 10 feet range. My only long putt was on the 17th hole, where I hit from the fairway bunker to about 20 feet and made that.

“Honestly, being in this position is very, very exciting and a little bit of pressure, but looking forward to tomorrow.”

Han (pictured above) finds herself in a position to create history for Hong Kong, China. No player from her country has won the region’s premier women’s amateur championship.

The world number 415, who was tied 29th last year, said she was feeling confident about her chances after a round that had seven birdies, at least four of which came from putts outside 20 feet.

“I will try my best. I am pretty confident because I have been working on many things with my coach last month and I think this result was kind of expected for me and for my coach. It’s showing us what we are working on are the right things.”

Kim made two birdies after the turn on the first and second holes, but finished with seven straight pars in her three-under 69 round.

“It was hotter than yesterday. It was humid. The round did not go as well as yesterday, but it’s okay,” said Kim. “There are still two days left. I will keep focused on my game.”

Lim, who was in contention last year in Thailand before making a quintuple bogey 10 on the sixth hole on Sunday to eventually lose by five shots, recorded the lowest round of her career, roaring into contention with a stunning 64 that included five birdies in the last six holes.

The world number 17 was on song with her irons and kept attacking the pins throughout the day. Asked what changed from her Thursday’s 74, Lim said: “The distance control with my irons was the key.

“On hole 13 (par-three), right before I hit the shot, I changed my club because I could feel the wind change. That was the turning point for me. If I hadn’t changed the club, I would not have made another birdie on that hole.

“It was about 130 yards. I was going to hit a nine-iron, but I switched to a pitching wedge and hit it to less than three feet. That gave me so much confidence. I started believing that I could trust myself and choose the right clubs.”

Chinese Taipei’s Tiffany Huang Ting-hsuan, the defending champion, shot an even-par 72 to be tied 10th at two-under, while Japan’s Rin Yoshida, the highest-ranked player in the field at number four in the WAGR, added a 71 to her Thursday 75 and is tied 30th.

The WAAP championship was developed by The R&A and the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation to inspire future generations of women golfers.

The R&A is supported by championship event partners that share its commitment to developing golf in the Asia-Pacific – Rolex, Nippon Kabaya Ohayo Holdings, Hana Financial Group and Samsung.

*For more information on the WAAP, visit ​https://www.randa.org/championships/womens-amateur-asia-pacific-championship