Sirikit scripts a new high for Asian ladies golf

Talking to newspersons after the tournament about their exhaustive preparations,the Korean non-playing captain Dong Wook Kim said, “We held camps for selecting the teams right from the beginning of the year. Eight players were short-listed from which these girls were selected.” Credit for the Korean success should go to sound infrastructure in that country. “We have around 150 golf courses,” boasted Dong which is mind-boggling for a small country.

“We practice on a number of different courses back home,” revealed Dong which explains why the other participating countries took time to adjust while the Koreans had it smooth sailing. In fact their consistency on the first two days gave them a flying start which staved off pressure on the last day.

Finds of the tournament, Chinese Taipei made their debut at the Sirikit, finishing runners-up. It was only for the second time in the 20-year-old history of the Cup that debutantes finished second. Australia had done so in 1980. That two of their players, Wei Yun Jye and Lu Hsiao Chuan finished second and third respectively in theindividual standings, reveals volumes on their potential. Quite unlike Korea, Chinese Taipei have very few golf courses and still fewer lady golfers. “You can count them on the tips of your fingers,” said the Taipei captain HuangLan Hsun-Hsun.

“We have played a lot with the Japanese and Koreans. That has helped us improve our game,” said coach Sung Tim. Though a lot of eyebrows were raised over the non-appearance of China at the tournament and raising of the Olympic flag against the backdrop of their National anthem, the Chinese Taipei captain maintained that there was no political conspiracy behind it. “No politics. We are here to compete and play,” Huang-Huang said.

The New Zealanders have always been one of the most consistently performing teams and at the end of the tournament their third position ahead of Australia indicated that they are a force to reckon with. Though captain Liz Douglas was not exactly happy with the final outcome. “The course did us in,” she lamented.

New Zealandfinished third, failing yet again to claim top honours. Registering triumphs twice — in 1984 (New Delhi) and 1990 (Hong Kong) — the Kiwis possess far greater potential than their record suggests.

Defending champions Japan were a major let down, sliding from the very first day of the trophy which they had won five times.

Though the Indians did not win, the performance of the hosts was a major improvement from last year in Manila where they finished ninth in a field of 11 countries. Though India started badly, a par round by Urvashi Sethi Sodhi on the second day enlivened the Indian camp. A one-over card on the final day by Chandigarh teenager Parnita Garewal saw India settle for fifth spot. Both Urvashi and Parnita finished 11th on the individual standings with a total of 226. Though the Indian total equalled Japan’s, the latter were given the fourth spot for a better final day card.

“At the start I thought that finishing fourth would be good. But now I feel that even the fifth position issatisfactory,” said Nonita Lal Qureshi, India’s non-playing captain. “Definitely we have the potential of doing much better. We only need to be mentally stronger,” commented Nonita.It was another failed attempt for the Australians to lift the Sirikit Cup. Six-time winners, the Aussies last won in 1988 in Thailand. Captain Maisey Mooney had no qualms in accepting that the Asians were a fast emerging champs. “We won the Cup when the sport was still in its developing stages in Asia. But now it has picked up immensely and it will require much better efforts by anyone to beat them.”