V Krishnaswamy in Da Nang, Vietnam
Da Nang, Vietnam, March 8: The 14-year-old Chandigarh golfer Guntas Kaur Sandhu impressed once again as she carded a second straight even par round of 71 to move up four places in the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship. She is now the top Indian player with one more round to go.
Guntas has been very steady with 73-71-71 over the past three days and lies Tied-35, up from overnight Tied-39.
Mannat Brar (67-76-73) who was Tied-ninth after the first day before slipping to Tied-30th after the second slid further to T-39th alongside Saanvi Somu (72-74-70). Saanvi was the only Indian to card under par on the third day. After making the cut on the line she has now improved from Tied-50th to Tied-39th.
Malaysian-born Jeneath Wong, 20, who shifted to Melbourne when she was 10 and is now in college at Pepperdine University in California, compiled a stunning 7-under 64 with eight birdies against one bogey to open a three-shot lead.
Wong leads by three over Korea’s overnight leader Sumin Hong (69) and China’s Soomin Oh (66). Both Soomin and Sumin had an eagle each. Soomin landed her eagle on the 10th and Sumin got hers on the 18th to get to Tied-second.
On a day when the conditions were benign as compared to the first two days at the spanking new Hoiana Shores Golf Club in Dan Nang, Guntas starting from the back nine picked three birdies against one bogey to turn in 2-under. However, the front side of the course did not yield any birdies for the young star, who also dropped shots on the fourth and ninth.
Guntas felt she could have played better but has been thrilled with the experience of getting to play the elite level event on a world-class Hoiana Shores.
Wong moved from Tied-second at the halfway stage to sole lead after the third and is poised to become the first Malaysian to win the prestigious WAAP title, which opens a lot of doors for the winner.
The winner at Hoiana Shores will be invited to compete in three of this year’s major championships – the AIG Women’s Open, Amundi Evian Championship and the Chevron Championship – as well as the Hana Financial Group Championship, ISPS Handa Australian Open, the 122nd Women’s Amateur Championship and, by tradition, the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
