Lee Jihyun helped to set the early pace for Korea by firing an opening round six-under-par 66 to lead her country to the top of the leaderboard at the Queen Sirikit Cup on Tuesday.
Ranked 56th on the World Amateur Golf Ranking, Lee traded eight birdies against two bogeys under scorching heat conditions to enjoy a four-shot lead over the Japanese pair of Mizuki Hashimoto and Tezuka Ayaka, Singapore’s Shannon Tan, Korea’s Kim Minbyeol and Fiona Xu from New Zealand.
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Avani Prashanth and Sneha Singh shot identical 75s while Janniya Dasani carded an 80 to leave India at 150, 14 shots behind leaders Korea.
Lee together with compatriot Kim, who signed for a 70, led Korea to the top of the leaderboard with a total gross score of eight-under-par. Japan trail by four in second place at four-under with Hashimoto and Ayaka identical round scores of 70.
“I’m pretty satisfied with how I played today. I told myself to go out there and get as many birdies as possible. I’m happy I managed to do that. It was not easy as it was so hot, and you really got to stay focused. I brought out my umbrella whenever I had the chance,” said Lee.
Hashimoto, the reigning Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship (WAAP) champion, battled through the elements as the 19-year-old returned with a 70 to stay close to the Korean team at the Laguna National Golf and Country Club.
“It was definitely a very hot day out there, and I had to keep myself hydrated with the isotonic drinks constantly. I felt I played alright on the golf course, and I’m confident I can play even better in the subsequent rounds,” said Hashimoto.
Singapore’s Shannon Tan did not disappoint as she spearheaded the host nation’s challenge with a blemish-free 70. Tan, together with compatriot Jaymie Ng, who signed for a 74, meant that Singapore trails Korea by eight shots in fourth place as the tournament heads into the second round on Wednesday.
“It was a good round. I did not drop any shots, and I know this course well. I would say I have the advantage over the others with my course knowledge, and I know how to handle the heat and humidity better,” said Tan.
Chinese Taipei’s Ting Hsuan Huang had the honour of carding the tournament’s first hole-in-one after she aced the par-three 12 with a nine-iron from 135 yards.
“I couldn’t see the ball after I hit the shot, and as I walked up to the green, I realised it could have dropped into the hole. I was correct, and it’s an unbelievable feeling as this is my first hole-in-one,” said Huang, who signed for a 73 to share 11th place.
