India’s Avani Prashanth has been drawing a lot of attention, even though she is not the leading world ranked amateur in the field for the high-profile Women’s Amateur Asia Pacific (WAAP) which begins at the Singapore Island Country Club (SICC) here on Thursday.
The World No. 77, Avani, is accompanied by the US-based Anika Varma, Nishna Patel, Mannat Brar, Vidhatri Urs and Lavanya Jadon. They are accompanied by the Amanpreet Kaur, the manager sent by the Indian Golf Union. Four of the six members have played the WAAP before. Anika, who missed the 2022 WAAP, is back. Avani, Nishna and Mannat Brar played the 2022 edition.
Anika, Avani and Nishna are all making their third trip to the WAAP and Mannat is here for the second time. Anika has the best result by an Indian, a ninth place at the 2021 event in Abu Dhabi, where Avani, too, logged her best of T-16. A field of 85 players from 22 countries are playing the event this week and 18 of the players, including Avani Prashanth, are in the top-100 of the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR).
Avani, who became the first Indian in 43rd editions of the Queen Sirikit Cup to win the individual section of the competition, also steered the team to its best ever position of second place.The week Avani won the individual honors by 10 shots in the Queen Sirikit Cup in Manila, two other girls, who were in the top five were Fiona Zu of New Zealand and Rianne Mikhaela Malixi of the Philippines.
Fiona, who finished second behind the Indian, said, “I’ve played with her in a practice round at the Australian Am in January, and she hits it really far. She’s really consistent with her iron shots, her approaches, so I think that has helped a lot in the Queen Sirikit.” It’s a similar story with Yahui Zhang.