Korean Sumin Hong Leads at WAAP Halfway Stage
Teenager holds two-shot advantage in blustery conditions
Quangnam, Vietnam – Korea’s Sumin Hong showcased patience and skill to take the halfway lead at the seventh Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific (WAAP) Championship.
Braving strong winds, the 18-year-old navigated the Hoiana Shores Golf Club’s links-style course with a four-under-par 67, bringing her 36-hole total to 10-under-par 132. She holds a two-stroke lead over Malaysia’s Jeneath Wong and Australia’s Jazy Roberts, who took advantage of calmer morning conditions.
Leaderboard Standings
1st – Sumin Hong (KOR) -10 (67-65)
T2 – Jeneath Wong (MAS) -8 (68-69)
T2 – Jazy Roberts (AUS) -8 (69-68)
4th – Soomin Oh (KOR) -7 (68-67)
5th – Jieen Lin (TPE) -6 (69-67)
T6 – Lion Higo (AUS) -5 (72-65)
T6 – Seojin Park (KOR) -5 (69-68)
T6 – Yunseo Yang (KOR) -5 (66-71)
Hong, ranked 221st in the World Amateur Golf Ranking® (WAGR®), recorded six birdies and two bogeys, positioning herself to become the first Korean winner of WAAP.
"I'm really happy with how I played and stayed patient. I try not to think about the final result – I just want to enjoy this with my peers and team-mates," said Hong.
Challengers Stay in the Hunt
Roberts and Wong, both 20 years old, took advantage of morning tee times, posting 68 and 69 respectively.
"It was solid again. I hit a few shots close and rolled some putts in. The wind picked up near the end, but that’s expected on a coastal course," said Roberts, ranked 144th in WAGR®.
She hopes to surpass Kelsey Bennett’s joint runner-up finish in Abu Dhabi 2021, the best WAAP result by an Australian. "I'll just scroll through TikTok and relax. Anything can happen on a course like this," she added.
Wong’s round started poorly with a double bogey at the 10th, but she responded with three birdies in her final four holes. She aims to improve on Ashley Lau’s sixth-place finish in 2021, the best WAAP result by a Malaysian.
Tougher Conditions Test the Field
The afternoon winds made scoring difficult, with only 20 players breaking par compared to 34 on day one.
Soomin Oh (KOR) briefly shared the lead but dropped back to fourth on seven-under after an eventful 67 featuring eight birdies and four bogeys.
Vietnam’s Chuc An Le battled back from two double bogeys to make the cut at one-over 143. “I’m happy to make the cut. That was my first target,” she said.
Cut Line and Notable Exits
The halfway cut fell at four-over 146, with only the top 50 and ties advancing.
Among those missing out were:
Mamika Shinchi (JPN) – 147 (72-75)
Nadene Gole (AUS) – 156 (75-81)
Gole, 56, the oldest player in the field, struggled with three double bogeys but finished on a high with a birdie at 18.
Pathway to Glory
Developed by The R&A and APGC, WAAP offers a career-defining opportunity for the champion, who will receive invitations to:
AIG Women’s Open
Amundi Evian Championship
Chevron Championship
Hana Financial Group Championship
ISPS Handa Australian Open
122nd Women's Amateur Championship
Augusta National Women’s Amateur
The final 36 holes promise high drama as Hong looks to make history and challengers fight to dethrone her.