From a Correspondent
Singapore: Mizuki Hashimoto hauled Japan into contention for a first Queen Sirikit Cup title in two decades with a sparkling second-round performance at Laguna National Golf Resort Club on Wednesday.
Winner of last year’s Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific, Hashimoto carded a brilliant 8-under-par 64 over the Masters Course on a weather-hit day at the award-winning venue.
Former national champion Sneha Singh (75-72) and current holder Avani Prashanth (75-73) had India in ninth place on 295 (150-145) with the two best of three scores counted towards team standings.
As well as sweeping to the top of the individual standings on 10-under 134, the teenager’s performance enabled Japan to overhaul Korea at the top in the team event.
With Miku Ueta signing for a 68, Japan posted a second-round aggregate of 12-under 132 in the team event in which the best two daily scores from each three-player team are counted.
Well placed
So well did the Japanese trio play that they had the luxury of not counting Ayaka Tezuka’s 72.
Chasing their seventh Queen Sirikit Cup team title but their first since 2002, Japan will head into the third round with a score of 16-under 272.
That put them four clear of second-placed Korea, the first-round leaders and the dominant force in the Queen Sirikit Cup having won 12 of the past 13 editions of the event also known as the Asia Pacific Amateur Ladies Team Championship.
New Zealand are third on 279 followed by hosts Singapore (287), Chinese Taipei (288), Australia and Malaysia (both 291), Thailand (293), India (295), Hong Kong (303), Indonesia (307), the Philippines (312), and Myanmar (342).
Following a steady opening-day 70, Hashimoto sparked into life in the second round, birdies at the second, third, fifth, sixth and ninth enabling her to turn in 5-under 31.
There was no let up on the back nine as the 19-year-old gained further shots on 10, 12 and 13 to move to 8-under.
Her progress was finally stalled with a bogey on 14. A par on the long 15th followed before a lightning warning halted play at 1.10 pm local time.
Strong finish
When play resumed at 4.40 pm, Hashimoto, 57th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, held her nerve making pars on 16 and 17 before finishing with a flourish.
The teenager sank her ninth birdie of the day when she chipped in from off the back of the final green, prompting a roar and a fist pump.
First-round individual leader Lee Ji-hyun of Korea endured a difficult start with a double-bogey seven at the 11th, her second hole of the day.
She was two-over through 12 holes but battled back to cover the final six holes in 3-under for a gutsy 71 that leaves her three strokes behind Hashimoto.
Two shots further back in a share of third place are Ueta, Korean Kim Min-byeol and New Zealand’s Fiona Xu.
For the second day in succession, Singapore’s Shannon Tan carded a two-under 70 putting her in joint sixth on 140. (courtesy queensirikitcup.org)
Individual scores
134 – Mizuki Hashimoto (Japan) 70-64
137 – Lee Ji-hyun (Korea) 66-71
139 – Miku Ueta (Japan) 71-68; Fiona Xu (New Zealand) 70-69; Kim Min-byeol (Korea) 70-69
140 – Vivian Lu (New Zealand) 72-68; Shannon Tan (Singapore) 70-70
142 – Ayaka Tezuka (Japan) 70-72
144 – Zulaikah Nurziana Bt Nasser (Malaysia) 73-71; Huang Ting-hsuan (Chinese Taipei) 73-71
145 – Kirsten Rudgeley (Australia) 73-72
146 – Thitikarn Thapasit (Thailand) 75-71; Jaymie Ng (Singapore) 74-72; Bang Shin-sil (Korea) 73-73
147 – Sneha Singh (India) 75-72; Liyana Durisic (Malaysia) 75-72; Pimpisa Rubrong (Thailand) 74-73
148 – Avani Prashanth (India) 75-73; Liao Hsin-chun (Chinese Taipei) 72-76
149 – Yoko Tai (Singapore) 75-74; Chloe Chan (Hong Kong) 73-76
150 – Kelsey Bennett (Australia) 77-73; Natthakritta Vongtaveelap (Thailand) 77-73; Caitlin Peirce (Australia) 73-77
151 – Wu Chen-wei (Chinese Taipei) 79-72; Arnie Pauline Taguines (Philippines) 76-75; Choi Eun-seo (New Zealand) 72-79
154 – Bianca Naomi Amina Lakssono (Indonesia) 80-74; Khaing Phu Pwint Yati (Myanmar) 76-78
155 – Rayi Geulis Zullandari (Indonesia) 80-75
156 – Arianna Lau (Hong Kong) 78-78
157 – Wang Xin-yi (Hong Kong) 81-76; Elaine Widjaja (Indonesia) 78-79
158 – Ng Jing Xuen (Malaysia) 82-76
161 – Samantha Marie Dizon (Philippines) 80-81
162 – Janniya Dassani (India) 80-82
188 – Khin Moe Pyae Sone (Myanmar) 95-93
213 – Phoo Zayar Wai (Myanmar) 111-102
NR – Lois Kaye Go (Philippines)
Team scores
272 – Japan 140-132
276 – Korea 136-140
279 – New Zealand 142-137
287 – Singapore 144-143
288 – Chinese Taipei 145-143
291 – Malaysia 148-143; Australia 146-145
293 – Thailand 149-144
295 – India 150-145
303 – Hong Kong 151-152
307 – Indonesia 158-149
312 – Philippines 156-156
342 – Myanmar 171-171
Also read: Sneha, Janneya top Queen Sirikit Cup trials at Noida Golf Course
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