Off the wire
• 1st LD: China foreign trade decline contracts in November  • Interview: Indonesia ramps up efforts to attract more Chinese tourists  • New Argentine gov't keen on closer ties with China: official  • Pearl Harbor attack remembered in Washington  • New U.S.-made rifles for New Zealand military  • Urgent: China's November foreign trade drops 4.5 pct  • Woodside withdraws from Oil Search takeover  • UEFA Champions League standings  • Former Argentina coach Sabella admitted for heart condition  • Teen amateurs qualify for Golf China Ladies Open  
You are here: 　 Home

Teen amateurs qualify for Hyundai China Ladies Open

Xinhua, December 8, 2015 Adjust font size:

Amateur Kanyalak Preedasutthijit booked herself a spot in the field for this week's Hyundai China Ladies Open on Monday as the Thai teenager fired a two-under-70 to win the qualifying event for the national championship.

Playing over the Mission Hills Haikou Blackstone course, the venue for the 54-hole, 550,000 U.S. dollars tournament starting on Friday, China's Liu Yiyi claimed the other spot available when the 14-year-old amateur turned in an even-par 72 under overcast conditions in Hainan Island.

In a field that included seven pros and 13 amateurs, the 17-year-old Kanyalak demonstrated poise well beyond her years with a solid round featuring five birdies, a bogey and a double bogey.

"I'm an amateur player now and I played amateur events all year. I heard that there's this great professional event and we (amateurs) can try to qualify, so I decided to go," said the Pattaya native, a Thai national team player.

"I'm excited now. This week's field is strong with many top (South) Korean players. I'm just aiming for the top 50 and try to make the cut after two rounds."

Liu, who will turn 15 on Christmas Day, earned her second consecutive appearance at the championship.

"Last year was my first time to play in a professional event. My father was my caddie and he was more nervous than me. I played not well on day one, so I tried to make the cut," said the teenager who won the Xi'an leg of this year's China amateur tour in her hometown.

"I'm happy to be a part of this great field again. I made a couple of great putts today, even though the golf course is long for me. Hopefully I can be better this week and make the cut."

As the Hyundai China Ladies Open celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, the tournament is again a co-sponsored event between the China LPGA Tour and the LPGA Tour of Korea.

The top players in the field include defending champion and world No. 10 Kim Hyo-joo, her South Korean compatriot Chun Inn-gee, the world No. 9 and reigning U.S. Women's Open title holder, and rising star Park Sung-hyun, a three-time winner in South Korea this year.

Top Chinese in the 108-player field include Pan Yanhong, a six-time winner on the China LPGA Tour, U.S. LPGA Tour regulars Feng Simin and Yan Jing, and promising rookie pros Shi Yuting, Ye Ziqi and Wang Ziyi. Endi