Koreans take an early lead in Queen Sirikit Cup – Golf news
Korea, the defending champions, were again on a rampage taking the lead in the first round of the Queen Sirikit Cup 2011, which started on Wednesday, at The Delhi Golf Club. The team led by World Number One in Women Amateur rankings, Hyo Joo Kim, was the
top scorer of the day with a card of three-under-69. She hit seven birdies and four bogeys before the end of first round. Hyo had a tough time understanding the tricky Delhi course lined by trees on both sides.
“The course is rather difficult. You have to be careful with your choice of clubs or you can land in the bushes.” Hyo stated through an interpreter. Hyo tee-ed off in a better way but dropped into bogeys on the 15th and 17th, finally
picking up a birdie to settle the day for 69. Hyo’s team-mates, Ji HeeKim and In Gee Chun, finished off at 76, hitting most of the shots into trees. The Korean team still managed to stay on top with Dottie Ardina of Philippines on the second spot with one-under
71.
Kiwis shared the third place at the closing of the first round, five shots behind the Koreans. World Number Three ranked amateur, Lydia Ko came out to be the highest scorer for New Zealand scoring two-over 74, while Cecilia and Emily both remained low on
the score card with 76 and 82, respectively.
Team captain, Libby Steele said that the course has turned out to be trickier than anticipated, “There was some wind up today and that proved tough, especially trying to get the ball to hold. The greens are tiered and if you can't get on the right tier it
is costly and that was difficult to achieve in the conditions.”
Queen Sirikit cup is featured in the World Amateur Womens Tour, played every year in March. South Korea has dominated most of the tournaments held so far clenching four victories in the past, interrupted only by Chinese Taipei when they won in 2005 and 2006.
The course stages a 54-hole Stroke Play format where the leading two scores of the day will count towards the cumulative score. Fourteen countries are participating in this year’s event with teams from Australia, China, South Korea, Singapore, Chinese Taipei,
Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and India.
Tags: