Danang, Vietnam: It was indeed fitting that Margaret Lavaki went into the record books as the first Papua New Guinean to tee up in the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific (WAAP) championship during this year’s seventh edition.

With International Women’s Day (IWD) coinciding with Saturday’s third round, Lavaki’s golfing journey epitomises the IWD objectives of accelerating gender equality and celebrating the achievements of women.

Lavaki took up golf at age 12, introduced to the game by her late father. She soon made it to the Papua New Guinea (PNG) national squad and was part of the team that won gold at the 2015 Pacific Games at Royal Port Moresby Golf Club. Lavaki took a break from competitive golf in 2015 due to motherhood, a hiatus that was lengthened when she sadly lost her father and subsequently her mother.

Spurred on by her love for the game, Lavaki made a comeback two years ago and her perseverance was rewarded with the WAAP invitation. Although she missed the half-way cut in unfamiliar conditions at the windswept links of Hoiana Shores Golf Club, the ever-smiling golfer was grateful for the opportunity to compete with the region’s leading amateurs on such a big stage.

“I went through a lot this week, firstly, just to get here. And the course itself is very difficult for me. It's a great experience for me, you know, for someone to come this far, and I did my best. I look forward to next year,” said Lavaki.

“I've spoken to my family, my husband, and my kids especially, and some of my friends back home. They’re very supportive and I'm very grateful for them,” added the mother-of-two.

Lavaki teared up while paying tribute to her father. “My dad was a golfer and I was following him around the course, and then suddenly I got into the sport and fell in love with it. I grew up playing golf,” she shared.

With a population of just over 10 million, PNG is home to around a dozen golf courses with 1968-established Royal Port Moresby being the most prominent. While golf is not widely played among the locals, Lavaki noted that the PNG Golf Association is working hard to grow the game.

“We have a good programme coming up to help new golfers. The PNG Golf Association also gives us good support,” said Lavaki.

Having never been to Vietnam before, Lavaki will be taking home treasured memories of her time in the Southeast Asian nation. “This is my first time in Vietnam and it’s a beautiful country. The food is delicious, and the people are very friendly. The hospitality this week has been amazing.”