Golf

Jeneath Wong of Malaysia leads after the third round of the Women's Amateur Asia-Pacific championship. Photo courtesy of The R&A

ĐÀ NẴNG -- The diminutive Jeneath Wong was walking tall after posting an assured seven-under-par 64 in the third round of the 2025 Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific championship on Saturday in Quảng Nam Province.

Taking full advantage of mild conditions at Hoiana Shores Golf Club, the 1.55cm-tall Malaysian, nicknamed ‘Pocket Dynamite’, opened up a three-stroke lead after day three.

Added to her earlier rounds of 65 and 69, Wong has compiled a 15-under-par total of 198.

Tied for second place on 12-under-par 201 heading into the final round are South Koreans Soomin Oh (66) and Sumin Hong (69), the halfway leader. There is a three-stroke gap back to a third Korean contender, Yunseo Yang (67), and Australian Jazy Roberts (70), who are tied for fourth place.

On the stunning links layout, participants gave their all as the strong winds that marked the first two days relented.

With red figures – signifying birdies – dominating the leaderboard, the six-strong China contingent alone made 43 birdies on the day, no fewer than 10 of them belonging to Liu, who matched her compatriot Ren Yijia and pace-setting Wong for the low round of the day.

Two shots off the pace in second place overnight, 20-year-old Wong, in her third and penultimate year at California’s Pepperdine University, was a model of consistency, finding fairways and greens with consistent regularity. Her touch with the putter was also outstanding.

“This week, just minimising bogeys is one of the main goals, and then just keeping it on the fairways and greens,” said Wong, who has fond memories of playing in Việt Nam, having won an individual bronze in the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in 2022.

Wong, No. 123 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, hit the front for first time with her fourth birdie of the day at the long seventh.

From that point she was never out of the top spot, picking up further shots at the eighth and 15th. Showing no signs of taking her foot off the pedal, Wong holed from ten feet for birdie at the short 17th and then made a brilliant up-and-down from a sandy waste area left of the green to gain another stroke at the last.

Although they trail by three, Oh and Hong both believed they had the capability to overhaul Wong and become the first name from South Korea to be inscribed on the winner’s trophy.

“I will always be happy on the course. Even if I make a mistake, it’s okay, I’m not depressed. I really do not mind at all,” said Oh, who will carry her carefree approach into the final round.

She added: “To be honest, I have not thought about winning this championship. But now I’m picturing that if I won, it would be a huge honour, not only for myself. I would become the first Korean to win the WAAP, so it would be a great honour.”

Lê Chúc An of Việt Nam is the only host athlete after the cut. She places 29th after three rounds. Photo courtesy of VGA

Lê Chúc An, the only Vietnamese player to make the cut, continued her good showing with an even-par 71, putting her in a tie for 29th on 214.

Developed by the APGC and The R&A to nurture talent and provide a pathway for the region’s elite women amateurs to the international stage, the WAAP provides the champion with life-changing opportunities.

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. VNS