SINGAPORE: Thai prodigy Atthaya 'Jean' Thitikul carded an even-par 71 to hold a share of the lead with Korean Jeong Yun-Ji after the second round of the inaugural Women's Amateur Asia-Pacific at Sentosa Golf Club on Thursday.
Atthaya Thitikul in action yesterday. PR
Atthaya, who turned 15 on Tuesday, moved to six-under 136 after 36 holes alongside the 17-year-old Jeong, who shot a 67 yesterday.
Koreans occupied four of the top seven places as in-form Cho A-Yean (68) and Boston College star Lois Kaye Go (67) of the Philippines shared third at five under, one ahead of Ryu Hae-Ran (70), Son Yu-Jeong (68) and Japan's Yuna Nishimura (69).
Japan's Yuka Yasuda shot a 73 to stay eighth on three-under 139.
Another Thai hope Kan Bunnadodee (74) shared 15th with China's Ji Yifan (71) at one-over 143.
After leading with an opening 65, Atthaya continued to sing, dance and joke with experienced Thai caddie Roongroj Boonsri as she again played nerve-free golf with the casual air of a youngster just enjoying the game.
Despite only missing one green in regulation on the front nine and sinking a 10-foot birdie putt on the par-five fifth, Atthaya bogeyed the third and seventh. She fell back to four over with a bogey at 12 before regaining her lead with birdies at the par-five 16th and the par-three 17th.
"I'm feeling really good, but today the location of the holes was so hard. I had a great comeback. I saved par on 15 and that gave me confidence and I made birdies on 16 and 17 and really came back," said Atthaya, who won the SEA Games individual and team gold medals in Malaysia last August.
A month earlier in Pattaya, Atthaya had Roongroj on the bag as she became the youngest player to win a Ladies European Tour event. Roongroj has worked with Thai stars Boonchu Ruangkit, Prom Meesawat and sisters Ariya and Moriya Jutanugarn, and the experienced caddie has been equally effective with his teenage charge.
"His imagination is the same as mine. He's funny and relaxed, and apart from the shots, we don't talk about golf," Atthaya smiled before being asked what songs she sings to herself when playing. "I just sing Thai songs, a lot of songs!"
Jeong joined Atthaya in the lead with her fourth birdie of the day at the 17th. She will play with good friend Cho and Atthaya in the final group today.
