Jeneath Wong of Malaysia. (Photo by Oisin Keniry/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)
Malaysia enjoyed its best-ever finish at the Espirito Santo Trophy, placing 19th with a four-over-par 580 total at the World Amateur Team Championships (WATC) in Singapore. The trio of Jeneath Wong, Foong Zi Yu and Charlayne Chong surpassed the country’s previous best of 25th in 2012 (Turkey). Malaysia also has the distinction of hosting the prestigious championship back in 2002 at Saujana Golf and Country Club.
At the top of the leaderboard, Team USA clinched the Espirito Santo Trophy for a record-extending 15th time, and their first since 2018, after a dramatic finale at Tanah Merah Country Club. The Americans edged Korea and Spain on a non-counting score tiebreak after all three teams finished level at 18-under-par 558.
The crucial difference came from Megha Ganne’s third-round even-par 72, which proved superior to Spain’s non-counting 73. With that, Korea and Spain each received silver medals. England and China tied for fourth, just two shots back.
Catherine Park sealed the win for Team USA by holing a nerve-wracking eight-foot birdie putt on the 18th. The 21-year-old USC senior was overjoyed, saying, “I’m just so happy. It’s the pressure of making that eight-footer and then knowing that we won was unbelievable. It has been a dream being here with them, winning this trophy.”
USA coach Chris Zambri added, “I’m over the moon. I’m so happy for the girls. They all contributed big time. It was unbelievable the way each one of them played. It’s just amazing to watch these young people perform under pressure. You know, it’s a thrill.”
Meanwhile, host nation Singapore achieved their best-ever result, finishing tied-15th at one-under-par 575, thanks to the efforts of Chen Xingtong, Inez Ng and Valencia Chang. National coach Murray Smit hailed the result as a “massive step forward” for Singapore women’s golf, bettering their previous best of tied-20th in Abu Dhabi in 2023.
The WATC, conducted by the International Golf Federation (IGF) and hosted by the Singapore Golf Association (SGA), is held biennially and is regarded as the pinnacle of amateur team golf. The men’s championship for the Eisenhower Trophy tees off next week from October 8–11.
