Singapore: On the back of her momentous victory in last week’s Augusta National Women's Amateur, Tsubasa Kajitani has broken into the top-15 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR).
The 17-year-old Japanese created history when she defeated American Emilia Migliaccio at the first hole of a sudden-death play-off in the second edition of the event that climaxed at Augusta National.
In becoming the first Asian to savour a win at the home of the Masters, Kajitani repelled the challenge of the world’s finest female amateur golfers.
In so doing she has improved her WAGR standing by 13 spots to 13th, placing her third among Asia-Pacific representatives, behind only the Chinese Taipei duo of An Ho-yu (fifth) and Hou Yu-chiang (10th).
Kajitani’s performance has won her widespread praise, led by Takeda Tsunetada, Chairman of the Japan Golf Association.
“I am very pleased and honoured to know that another player in our national team has made a great achievement again on the world stage,” said Tsunetada.
Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, neither has Kajitani been able to practice as much as usual nor participate in the tournaments that she had scheduled.
“I am so proud of her and show my full respect for her efforts,” added Tsunetada.
China’s Ye Lei and Japan’s Nanako Ueno, the two other Asia-Pacific representatives to qualify for the final round after finishing among the leading 30 players following the opening two rounds at Champions Retreat, are 24th and 35th respectively.
Asia’s contingent among the top-50 was increased by one with Thai Jaravee Boonchant jumping 24 positions to 50th.
Jaravee, who tied for 12th at the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur in 2019 but missed the cut last week, is a senior at Duke University.
Jaravee only played in one event in 2020 – the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate – and spent her fall semester in her native Thailand. She returned to campus in the spring of 2021 and competed in the Valspar Augusta Invitational at Forest Hills Golf Club in Augusta last month, where she finished in a tie for sixth place.