Women’s amateur golf on the rise with growing success of WAAP
By Chuah Choo Chiang
The region’s top women amateur golfers, including Korea’s Soomin Oh, Malaysia’s Jeneath Wong, Singapore’s Chen Xingtong, Filipino Rianne Malixi and Thailand’s Achiraya Sriwong, do not need to look far for inspiration when they reach the crossroads of when to turn professional.
A glance at the final 2025 Women’s World Golf Rankings and LPGA Tour points list reveals the same name at the very top, one that has been on the lips of everyone who follows the women’s game closely.
Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul was the standout performer last year, cementing herself as the planet’s best women’s golfer after a stunning rise, and fittingly, her roots trace back to the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship (WAAP), whose eighth edition tees off at Royal Wellington Golf Club in New Zealand on Thursday.
Jeeno embodies the strength in depth of women’s golf across Asia-Pacific. Seven players from the region sit inside the world’s top 10 and 30 feature among the top 50. The bubbly Thai has often hailed the WAAP as the launchpad for a burgeoning career that now includes seven LPGA victories.
The 22-year-old Thai won the inaugural WAAP in Singapore in 2018 and finished runner-up in her title defence the following year. Now, a new generation of elite amateurs, including Korea’s Soomin Oh, hopes to follow in her footsteps.
The highest-ranked player in this week’s field at world No. 11 and touted as a golf phenom, Oh will be fired up to go one better after finishing second behind Jeneath in Vietnam last year. Interestingly, no Korean has won the WAAP since it was inaugurated in 2018 which Oh hopes to change.
“My goal is to win. I was runner-up last year, so my desire is even stronger this time. But rather than getting greedy, I want to focus on gaining good experience and enjoying the championship,” said the 17-year-old Oh, who is a two-time Queen Sirikit Cup winner and the 2024 World Amateur Junior Girls Champion.
While Korea has proven to unleash an unending talent pipeline in women’s golf, the success of Jeneath Wong in delivering Malaysia a first champion was hailed by many. The 21-year-old is also determined to advance her career into the play-for-pay ranks upon graduating from Pepperdine University in the U.S.
“Growing up, I followed the championship closely and always saw it as one of the biggest goals for an amateur golfer in this region. Just qualifying to play was once a dream, so winning, it felt surreal. It shows young girls that pathways exist and big dreams are achievable,” said Jeneath.
“Players like Jeeno are incredibly inspiring. Seeing someone start their journey at the WAAP and go on to achieve so much at the professional level shows what’s possible. Her success motivates me to stay patient, work hard and trust the process as I continue developing my game. It’s reassuring to see a clear pathway from amateur golf in our region to success on the world stage.”
Jeneath hailed the WAAP for providing elite amateurs with a clear route to the top, especially with the champion earning exemptions into several of the LPGA Tour’s leading major championships and elite amateur events.
“The WAAP has had a massive impact on women’s golf in Asia-Pacific by creating opportunities and visibility for young female golfers. Growing up, I followed the championship closely and always saw it as one of the biggest goals for an amateur golfer in this region,” she said.
For Singapore’s Chen Xingtong, the ambition is to turn professional after completing her tertiary education.
“My goal is to play on major tours like the LPGA and Ladies European Tour,” said the 17-year-old, whose compatriot Shannon Tan, a WAAP alumna, went on to win last season’s LET Order of Merit.
“This championship is incredibly prestigious and an amazing opportunity for golfers like me to gain experience and exposure. The winner earns invitations to three majors and other elite events. It’s something we all strive for.”
A total of 84 players from 26 countries will contest the WAAP, developed by the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) and The R&A to nurture talent and provide a pathway for the region’s elite women amateurs to the international stage.
As Jeeno’s success shows, the WAAP offers life-changing rewards. The winner earns exemptions into three major championships in 2026 — the AIG Women’s Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes, the Amundi Evian Championship and the Chevron Championship — plus invitations to elite events including the Hana Financial Group Championship, ISPS HANDA Women’s Australian Open, the Women’s Amateur Championship and the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
Note: The writer former lead marketing and communications for the PGA Tour and Asian Tour for over 20 years and now runs his own sports PR consultancy.