Malaysia’s Jeneath Wong Seizes Lead at WAAP
Three-shot advantage heading into final round in Vietnam
Quangnam, Vietnam – Jeneath Wong delivered a commanding performance in the third round of the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific (WAAP) Championship, firing a seven-under-par 64 to take a three-shot lead into the final round.
Taking advantage of calmer conditions at Hoiana Shores Golf Club, the 5ft 1in Malaysian, known as ‘Pocket Dynamite’, built on earlier rounds of 65 and 69 to reach a 15-under-par total of 198.
Leaderboard After Three Rounds
1st – Jeneath Wong (MAS) -15 (65-69-64)
T2 – Soomin Oh (KOR) -12 (68-67-66)
T2 – Sumin Hong (KOR) -12 (67-65-69)
T4 – Yunseo Yang (KOR) -9 (70-68-67)
T4 – Jazy Roberts (AUS) -9 (69-68-70)
T6 – Yujie Liu (CHN) -8 (72-69-64)
T6 – Ying Xu (CHN) -8 (68-71-66)
T6 – Pimmada Wongthanavimok (THA) -8 (70-69-66)
T6 – Eunseo Choi (NZL) -8 (70-68-67)
To mark International Women’s Day, the Vietnam Golf Association presented flowers to players, officials, and spectators on the 1st and 10th tees, as well as at the clubhouse.
Wong’s Consistency Pays Off
At 123rd in the World Amateur Golf Ranking® (WAGR®), Wong entered the day two shots behind but quickly found her rhythm. Her fourth birdie of the day at the 7th hole gave her the outright lead, and she never looked back, adding further birdies at the 8th, 15th, 17th, and 18th.
"This week, minimising bogeys has been a key goal, along with keeping it on the fairways and greens," said Wong, who previously won bronze at the 2022 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Vietnam.
Koreans in Pursuit
Despite trailing by three shots, Soomin Oh and Sumin Hong remain strong contenders as they attempt to become the first Korean winner of WAAP.
Oh, ranked ninth in WAGR®, continued her steady improvement, backing up rounds of 68 and 67 with a 66. Her highlight came at the 10th hole, where she nearly holed a 240-yard fairway wood for albatross, leaving herself a tap-in eagle.
"I always stay happy on the course. Even if I make mistakes, I don’t let it bother me," said Oh.
Hong, the halfway leader, faced a challenging round, dropping two shots at the 16th. However, she responded with a birdie at 17 and a brilliant eagle at 18, signing for a 69.
"I wasn’t expecting to be in the final group, but I’m happy to be playing alongside Soomin. We’re close friends, which will make me more comfortable," said Hong, ranked 221st in WAGR®.
Thailand’s Strong WAAP Tradition Continues
With Thailand having produced a top-three finisher in every WAAP since its inception in 2018, Pimmada Wongthanavimok leads their charge after a 66.
"The breeze was much lighter today, which made scoring easier," said Wongthanavimok, who is in her third year at the University of Arizona.
Local Hope Shines
Vietnam’s Chuc An Le, the only home player to make the cut, carded an even-par 71 to sit in a tie for 29th on 214.
A Career-Changing Prize Awaits
Developed by The R&A and APGC, WAAP provides a pathway for the region’s top women’s amateurs. The champion at Hoiana Shores will earn invites 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
Championship Partners
WAAP is supported by Rolex, ISPS Handa, Hoiana Shores Golf Club, Samsung, Hana Financial Group, Nippon Kabaya Ohayo Holdings, New World Hoiana Hotel, Peter Millar, G Link Logistics, and Titleist.
With one round remaining, Wong is in prime position, but with Korea’s top-ranked amateur and the halfway leader in close pursuit, the final day promises high drama.