Malaysian golfer Jeneath Wong is tied for second place at the halfway stage of the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific (WAAP) Championship at Hoiana Shores Golf Club, where Korean teenager Sumin Hong claimed the lead with a 36-hole aggregate of 10-under-par 132.
Wong, alongside Australian Jazy Roberts, trails Hong by two strokes after posting a second-round 69 in calmer morning conditions, before blustery winds challenged the afternoon wave. Reflecting on her round, Wong recounted a rocky start with a double-bogey seven at the par-5 10th—her opening hole of the day. “I was in the fairway bunker and had two shots to get out of there, so I was a bit flustered,” she admitted. “But I kept composed and just waited for pars and birdies.”
Her patience paid dividends as she rallied with birdies at three of her final four holes, putting her in contention for what could be Malaysia’s best-ever finish in the championship, surpassing Ashley Lau’s sixth-place result in 2021. Wong, who moved to Australia at age ten, credited her ability to stay calm under pressure—a skill honed in the morning’s relatively benign conditions compared to the windswept afternoon faced by leader Hong.
Sumin Hong of the Republic of Korea leads after the second round of the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific championship. (Photo by Yong Teck Lim/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)
Hong, ranked 221st in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), navigated the links-style layout with a four-under-par 67, overcoming bogeys at the par-3 12th and 17th with birdies at the 10th, 15th, 16th, and 18th. “Right now, I’m really happy and satisfied with how I played and stayed patient,” Hong said, emphasising her focus on enjoying the experience rather than fixating on the outcome.
Roberts, ranked 144th in the WAGR, carded a 68 to join Wong at eight-under-par 134. “It was pretty solid again,” Roberts said. “I hit a few shots in close and rolled some putts in. It was getting really windy, but I managed to get through. You have to play smart.” She plans to unwind with some TikTok scrolling, adding, “Anything can happen on a course like this. I’m honestly not too fazed.”
Jazy Roberts of Australia is tied second after the second round of the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific championship. (Photo by Oisin Keniry/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)
WAGR number nine Soomin Oh sits alone in fourth at 135 after a rollercoaster 67, featuring eight birdies and four bogeys. Chinese Taipei’s Jieen Lin (69) is fifth at 136, while Australian Lion Higo (72), Koreans Seojin Park (69), and Yunseo Yang—whose bogey-free 66 was the day’s best—share sixth at 137. First-round leader Seo Jin Park slipped to a tie for ninth at 138 after a 74.
The wind tested the 92-strong field from 24 countries, with only 20 players breaking par, down from 34 on day one. Wong’s morning advantage underscored the day’s challenges, as she noted the importance of staying steady after her early stumble. “I just waited for my chances,” she said, a strategy that kept her in the hunt.
Soomin Oh of the Republic of Korea is fourth after the second round of the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific championship in Vietnam this week.(Photo by Yong Teck Lim/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)
Vietnam’s Chuc An Le, tied for 30th at 143, fought back from an outward 42 with back-to-back birdies, saying, “I’m happy to make the cut. That was my first target.” Papua New Guinea’s Margaret Lavaki, the first from her nation to compete in the WAAP, carded 90 and 88 but embraced the experience: “The course is very difficult for me, but I did my best.”
The halfway cut fell at four-over-par 146, with Japan’s Mamika Shinchi (147) and Australia’s Nadene Gole (156) among those missing out. Gole, the field’s eldest at 56, ended with a birdie at the 18th despite three double-bogeys in her 81.
The WAAP, developed by the APGC and The R&A, offers the winner entries to major championships—including the AIG Women’s Open, Amundi Evian Championship, and Chevron Championship—plus the Hana Financial Group Championship, ISPS Handa Australian Open, the 122nd Women’s Amateur Championship, and the Augusta National Women’s Amateur. Supported by partners like Rolex, ISPS Handa, and Hoiana Shores Golf Club, the event continues to elevate Asia-Pacific talent.
