Augusta, Georgia, United States: Jung Min-seo overcame a nervy start to lead the Asia-Pacific charge at the 2025 Augusta National Women’s Amateur (ANWA).
The 18-year-old Korean recovered from two early bogeys to post an opening four-under-par 68 on the Island and Bluff nines at Champions Retreat Golf Club.
Making her debut in the ANWA, Jung birdied four of the final six holes, to climb into a share of sixth place in the elite, 72-strong field, featuring 47 of the top-50 from the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR).
Heading into Thursday’s second round, Jung is five shots off the blistering pace being set by American Megha Ganne. Stanford University junior Ganne’s bogey-free nine-under 63 included seven birdies and an eagle. It was the lowest round in the six-year history of the ANWA.
Two shots off the lead in sole possession of second place is England’s Lottie Woad, the defending champion and WAGR number one. Americans Kiara Romero, Farah O’Keefe and Amanda Sambach share third place at five-under.
Jung was a stalwart of the triumphant Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) team in January’s Patsy Hankins Trophy against the European Golf Association.
In the Solheim Cup-style match play contest in the United Arab Emirates, Jung contributed 3½ points, including a 2&1 singles victory over Spain’s Rocio Tejedo. In partnership with Hong Kong’s Arianna Lau, Jung added a half-point in a thrilling fourballs contest against Tejedo and Woad.
At the ANWA, a total of 29 players carded sub-par scores, a new championship record for a single round. The previous record was set in 2024 during the first round with 28 players under par.
Among those in red figures signifying a sub-par return were Eila Galitsky. The 2023 Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific (WAAP) champion is tied 13th after a two-under 70. Fellow Thai Achiraya Sriwong and Japan’s Mamika Shinchi are among a group in a share of 23rd spot on 71.
Following completion of today’s second round at Champions Retreat a cut will be made with the top 30 players and ties advancing to Saturday’s final round at Augusta National Golf Club. All participants will play a practice round at Augusta National, the home of the Masters, tomorrow.
Thai Suvichaya Vinijchaitham and China’s Zhou Shiyuan are on the cut-off mark in equal 30th after opening with even-par 72s.
One stroke behind in a tie for 42nd are New Zealand’s Eunseo Choi and Malaysian Jeneath Wong. Winner of the seventh edition of the WAAP in Vietnam at the start of March, Wong was left to rue bogeys at two of the par-fives.
Of the other Asia-Pacific representatives, Hong Kong's Lau and Chinese Taipei’s Cindy Hsu Huai-chien carded 74s.
WAGR number two Mirabel Ting of Malaysia and Korean Oh Soo-min, WAGR number seven, both have their work cut out to qualify for the final round after starting with 76s. Ting’s round included a double-bogey five at the short 17th, while Oh managed only a solitary birdie against five bogeys.
Also struggling to make the cut are Japan’s Ko Kurabayashi (78) and Tsubasa Kajitani (80), the 2021 ANWA champion, and Australian Sarah Hammett (81).
