Rianne Malixi and three other Filipinas vying in the Women’s Amateur Asia Pacific Championship face a task so daunting they would need to outdo themselves to at least contend in the region’s premier women’s amateur championship when it gets under way on March 9 at the Singapore Island Country Club.
For three of the world’s Top 10, all from Japan, banner the elite 85-player field, and South Korea and Thailand are returning with strong teams while Qatar and Lebanon seek to stir up play in their first foray in the blue-ribbon event spread over 72 holes at the well-kept, challenging layout.
Avani Prashanth of India is also in the hunt, coming off an imposing 10-stroke triumph in last week’s Queen Sirikit Cup at Manila Southwoods, while New Zealand is also fielding in a crack six-player crew, led by world No. 22 Fiona Xu, along with a slew of aces from Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, China, Chinese-Taipei and host Singapore.
But the Pinays, including reigning national stroke play champion Junia Gabasa, Mafy Singson and Lois Kaye Go, are ready to take up the challenge, particularly Malixi, who barely missed a podium finish in the Sirikit Cup after losing to Korean Hyunjo Yoo in the countback for the bronze.
The ICTSI-backed shotmaker also tied for third in the WAAP in Thailand last November, putting herself into contention early on but losing steam in the final round.
But she’s been enjoying top form with solid ball-striking but the young, rising star would also need the breaks to spike a campaign against the likes of world No. 4 Rin Yoshida, No. 5 Yuna Araki and No. 10 Sayaka Teraoka.
So solid is Japan that it is also backstopped by 2021 champion and world No. 15 Mizuki Hashimoto.
But the Koreans, who re-claimed the Sirikit Cup after yielding it to Japan in 2022 following a six-title run from 2014, are also coming into the event in full force, led by world No. 16 Minsol Kim and No. 19 Jiyoo Lim and No. 64 Kyorim Seo. Others in the group are No. 53 Yei Park, No. 62 Hyojin Yang and Hyunjo Yoo.
The Thais are also poised to deliver and take back the inaugural crown won by former world No. 1 and now No. 4 Atthaya Thitikul in 2018 in Sentosa, with Kan Bunnabodee and Pattharat Rattanawan leading their charge along with Eila Galitsky, Prim Prachnakorn and Navaporn Soontreeyapas.
Taiwan’s Ting-Hsuan Huang will also be as much tested as the rest of the stellar cast as she braces for a stiff challenge in pursuit of a second straight championship. She flashed steely nerves in the stretch to hold off now LPGA Tour campaigner Natthakritta Vongtaveelap by two in Thailand.
Prashanth will also be the marked player after running away with the individual honors in the Sirikit Cup with last year’s all-India Juniors and all-India Ladies Amateur champion raring to put on display the shotmaking, iron and putting skills she flashed in a dominant title run at Southwoods.