RELEASED: 23 Feb 2018 at 07:00
SINGAPORE: Thai prodigy Atthaya ‘Jean’ Thitikul carded an even-par 71 to hold a share of the lead with Korean Jeong Yun-Ji after the 2nd round of the inaugural Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific at Sentosa Golf Club on Thursday.
Atthaya Thitikul in action the other day. PR
Atthaya, who turned 15 on Tuesday, transferred to six-under 136 after 36 holes together with the 17-year-old Jeong, who shot a 67 the other day.
Koreans inhabited 4 of the leading 7 locations as in-form Cho A-Yean (68) and Boston College star Lois Kaye Go (67) of the Philippines shared 3rd at 5 under, one ahead of Ryu Hae-Ran (70 ), Kid Yu-Jeong (68) and Japan’s Yuna Nishimura (69 ).
Japan’s Yuka Yasuda shot a 73 to remain 8th on three-under 139.
Another Thai hope Kan Bunnadodee (74) shared 15th with China’s Ji Yifan (71) at one-over 143.
After leading with an opening 65, Atthaya continued to sing, dance and joke with knowledgeable Thai caddie Roongroj Boonsri as she once again played nerve-free golf with the casual air of a child simply delighting in the video game.
Regardless of just missing out on one green in guideline on the front 9 and sinking a 10-foot birdie putt on the par-five 5th, Atthaya bogeyed the 3rd and seventh. She fell back to 4 over with a bogey at 12 prior to restoring her lead with birdies at the par-five 16th and the par-three 17th.
” I’m feeling actually great, however today the place of the holes was so difficult. I had an excellent resurgence. I conserved par on 15 which offered me self-confidence and I made birdies on 16 and 17 and actually returned,” stated Atthaya, who won the SEA Games specific and group gold medals in Malaysia last August.
A month previously in Pattaya, Atthaya had Roongroj on the bag as she ended up being the youngest gamer to win a Ladies European Trip occasion. Roongroj has actually dealt with Thai stars Boonchu Ruangkit, Senior prom Meesawat and siblings Ariya and Moriya Jutanugarn, and the knowledgeable caddie has actually been similarly reliable with his teenage charge.
” His creativity is the very same as mine. He’s amusing and unwinded, and apart from the shots, we do not discuss golf,” Atthaya smiled prior to being asked what tunes she sings to herself when playing. “I simply sing Thai tunes, a great deal of tunes!”
Jeong signed up with Atthaya in the lead with her 4th birdie of the day at the 17th. She will have fun with buddy Cho and Atthaya in the last group today.
