WELLINGTON: Title holder Jeneath Wong of Malaysia carded a solid third round of 2-under 70 on Saturday as overnight leader Yang Yunseo edged closer to becoming Korea’s first champion at the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific (WAAP).
Jeneath hit two birdies on the first and 10th holes for a bogey-free card at windy Royal Wellington Golf Club to lie in tied 17th place on 1-under 215 with 18 holes remaining. Two other Malaysians who made the weekend rounds, Charlayne Chong Shin Ling and Foong Zi Yu, carded a 72 and 74 respectively for T22 and T46 respectively.
“I hit 17 greens but only managed to have two birdies,” said Jeneath, who became the first Malaysian winner with an historic triumph in Vietnam last year. “I struggled with putting, just trying to get the lines and speed to match. The greens are very undulating.”
After opening her defence with rounds of 72 and 73, the 21-year-old was delighted to pencil down her first under-par card of the week despite the swirly conditions which kept players on their toes. When she missed the green on 16, Jeneath brilliantly holed a chip to save par.
“The winds got strong on the back nine. Holes 12 and 13 played exceptionally long. I had a four and five hybrid going into those holes. It’s quite different as rather than a wedge, you’re pulling a hybrid into these tough greens,” said Jeneath.
While she is out of the running for a repeat win – Jeneath sits 12 shots behind 54-hole leader Yang – the talented Malaysian, a senior at Pepperdine University in US, is fired up to finish the week strongly although another windy day is forecasted.
“It’s always an honour,” said Jeneath. “Making history for my country is always really good. I’m just happy to be here. This week, there wasn’t too much pressure. I’ll try to finish strong tomorrow. Heard the winds will be pretty strong, so hopefully I won’t be too affected.”
The 18-year-old Yang’s overnight lead was reduced from three strokes to two after she scrambled to a 72, with compatriots Oh Soomin (67), last year’s runner-up, and Kim Gyu Been (71) lying in joint second place following a 67 and 71 respectively. She has held the championship lead since opening with a superlative 64 on Thursday.
Yang, who finished fourth in her WAAP debut last year, said: “I was nervous at the start. I made a bogey and a double bogey (on the front nine). At the beginning of the back nine, I kept telling myself, ‘It’s not over. I can still make up for it.’ That helped me finish on a positive note.
“I’m still doing well. There’s one more day left. If I approach it with the mindset of starting afresh, I think a good result will follow.”
The WAAP was developed by The R&A and the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) to nurture talent and provide a pathway for the region’s elite women amateurs to the international stage and the rewards on offer are significant. The champion will earn exemptions into three major championships in 2026, the AIG Women’s Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes, The Amundi Evian Championship in France and the Chevron Championship in the United States.
The Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific championship is proudly supported by Rolex, ISPS Handa, Royal Wellington Golf Club, Samsung, Hana Financial Group, Nippon Kabaya Ohayo Holdings, Peter Millar, Titleist, Sparms, New Zealand Mercedes-Benz and Tongariro, as well as investment partners New Zealand Major Events and Wellington Council and host association Golf New Zealand.
