Zara Anand, Heena Kang keep India in team race at Queen Sirikit Cup

Zara Anand continued to show out at the 45th Queen Sirikit Cup in Miyazaki, Japan, on May 15, climbing three places into a share of seventh on the penultimate day of the region’s premier women’s amateur competition being played at the Phoenix Seagaia Resort’s Tom Watson Golf Course. 

Tenth overnight, Zara, who finished in 12th place at last year’s event in New Zealand, shot a level par 72 to sit on a level par 216 total while Heena Kang (2 under 70) climbed into a tie for 24th place on 6 over 220. Mannat Brar (225), however, fell away on the day, down 11 spots from her overnight joint 15th place. 

In the team event, where a country’s two best of three scores count daily, India held steady in fifth place on level par 432 (over 54 holes) based on cards turned in by Zara and Heena. 

At the top, South Korea continued their domination with defending champion Soomin Oh returning her third successive card in the 60s – including a 10 under 62 on Thursday – to lead the field by a massive 12 strokes. According to the event website, Oh combined her stroke-making with a putting masterclass to put Korea way ahead of the competition in the concurrent Asia-Pacific Amateur Ladies Golf Team Championship. 

With a three-day total of 18 under 198, the 16-year-old Oh leads Japan’s Aria Nagasawa (70) by such a margin that she is close to becoming just the second player in the tournament’s history to win it twice in a row. And riding on her dominance, Korea are 17 strokes clear of second-placed Japan in 27 under 405 to 10 under 422 in the team event with Sumin Hong adding a solid 70 on the day. 

Japan (422) are followed by Thailand (424), China (425), India (432), Australia and Hong Kong, China (both 439), Chinese Taipei (440), Singapore (441), Indonesia (444), Malaysia (446), Vietnam (464) and the Philippines (471). 

Oh fired 11 birdies against a lone bogey on Thursday and said later on the event website, “It was really perfect. My putting had been just a bit off for the first two days, but today it was really good and I made a lot of putts. 

“I’ve never won the same tournament two years in a row, so if I can win it would be a great memory,” added Oh, who indicated she won’t take undue risks in the final round. “When it’s a situation where I need to play it safe, I think it’s important to stick to that strategy.” 

Third Round Team Scores

• 405 – Korea (139-133-133)
• 422 – Japan (138-140-144) 424 – Thailand (143-142-139)
• 425 – China (146-138-141)
• 432 – India (149-141-142)
• 439 – Australia (150-148-141)
• Hong Kong, China (147-145-147)
• 440 – Chinese Taipei (151-147-142)
• 441 – Singapore (147-147-147)
• 444 – Indonesia (150-143-151)
• 446 – Malaysia (151-149-146)
• 464 – Vietnam (149-158-157)
• 471 – Philippines (158-156-157)