21 Mar 2024 | Amateur golf |
Australians hit the lead at Queen Sirikit Cup
by Patrick Taylor
The Australian team has hit the lead at the 44th Queen Sirikit Cup at Clearwater Golf Club after the day two play, thanks to a spirited 5-under 67 from Sarah Hammett.
The Gold Coast teenager brushed off an opening round 74 to card seven birdies today to lead the individual standings by five shots and lift the Aussie team to the top of the leaderboard by three over Korea.
Australia is chasing its first Sirikit teams win since 2013.
"As soon as I hit 14 and holed a nice one for birdie, they just kept dropping from then and I ended up being able to put a really good score together," Hammett said of her 67, the low round of the tournament thus far.
"I played a bit more strategic with the wind today.
"After yesterday I kind of took it (the wind) into consideration a bit more, with what clubs to hit and where to play and not just going for every pin."
Making up the Australian team of three is Justice Bosio and Caitlin Pierce, with Bosio also bouncing back from a tougher opening round to shoot an even-par 72 today.
The Australians hold a three-shot lead at two-over-par to lead the event’s most successful nation, Korea with two days to play.
World number 89 on the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR), Shihyun Kim, and Hyosong Lee, who holds an impressive world ranking of 33, sit second and third individually. They combined for one-under today as they search for an incredible 23rdtitle and are motivated to make a dent in Australia’s lead over the next two rounds.
Play commences from 8.30am tomorrow (NZ time), with Australia teeing off at 9am alongside Japan and Korea. New Zealand lead the field off the first tee with Thailand and Chinese Taipei.
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