Pattaya, Thailand, January 31: Chen Xingtong is ready to put up a performance befitting of her status as one of Singapore’s future stars when the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific (WAAP) championship tees off at the Siam Country Club on Thursday.
Just like her maiden appearance at the national qualifier tournament for the HSBC Women’s World Championship where she topped the qualifiers, the 15-year-old is hoping to create a similar impression as she tees up for the first time at the WAAP.
She has already served notice of her talent by winning her first international tournament at the 48th Peugeot Selangor Amateur Open in Malaysia last December and finishing fourth at the Philippines National Stroke Play Championship last month.
“I’m really excited to be able to represent Singapore again at such a prestigious tournament like the WAAP.
“Obviously, I hope to do well again like what I did (earn her place at the HSBC Women’s World Championship) last week. Having said that, I also do not want to put much pressure on myself but just try to play my best,” said Chen.
Apart from Chen, Team Singapore will also be represented by Aloysa Atienza- the first Singaporean woman in more than 30 years to clinch the individual silver medal at the 2022 SEA Games in Hanoi, Jaymie Ng, Passion Hsu, Jillian Kuk and Inez Ng, who recorded Singapore’s best-ever finish at the World Team Amateur Championships with her tied-fourth finish in Abu Dhabi last November.
The winner of the WAAP will receive exemptions into three major championships in 2024 – the AIG Women’s Open at St Andrews, the Amundi Evian Championship in France and the Chevron Championship in the United States of America.
She will also receive invitations to a handful of other elite championships such as the Hana Financial Group Championship, ISPS Handa Women’s Australian Open, The 121st Women’s Amateur Championship and the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
The WAAP championship was developed by The R&A and the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) to inspire future generations of women golfers. The R&A is supported by championship event partners that share its commitment to developing golf in the Asia-Pacific.