Nishna best at even-par in 30th place as Avani makes a slow start; Malaysian golfer leads Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific

Pattaya (Thailand): The 16-year-old Nishna Patel from Mumbai was the best-placed Indian at tied 30th after an even-par 72 in the first round of the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship.

Nishna was placed tied for 30th while Kriti Chowhan (73) was the next best at tied 43rd and the highest-ranked Indian and the National champion, Avani Prashanth (74) was tied 52nd at the Waterside Course at the Siam Country Club.

Of the three other Indians, Mannat Brar (75) at three-over was tied 61st, Sifat Sagoo (77) at 5-over was tied 71st and Ceerat Kang (79) at 7-over was tied 78th.

Nishna, who represented India at the Women’s Amateur in Scotland and the World Amateur Team Championship in France, trains at the Bombay Presidency Golf Club. She also missed the cut at the WAAP last year in Abu Dhabi. She started with two bogeys in the first two holes but fought back with two birdies to get to even par.

Malaysia’s Liyana Durisic, 21, had seven birdies, five of them in the last six holes in a round of 6-under 66 for a one-shot lead over Australia’s Kelsey Bennett and local Natthakritta Vongtaveelap, who shot 5-under 67 each. Bennett and Vongtaveelap were among the three players, who tied for second in 2021 behind the winner Mizuki Hashimoto, who was tied for fifth at 69 after the first round on Thursday.

The winner of the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship gets a spot in the Women’s Open and the Evian Championships, besides berths at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and the Hana Financial Service event in Korea.

Avani had some great saves, but she also dropped shots when she went into the bunker and failed with up-and-down for pars. She also had three-putted the ninth, which was her last hole. Avani has four bogeys and two birdies.

Kriti Chowhan, who was tied for 34th in the 2021 edition of WAAP, shot 1-over 73 with two birdies against three bogeys.

Leader Durisic, 21, from Kuala Lumpur, is at Iowa State University and has made the cut in all three previous WAAP events.

–IANS