Japanese amateur Saki Baba shot a seven-under 65 to take a surprise lead on Thursday in the Asian Games women’s golf, but it couldn’t spoil Yin Ruoning’s 21st birthday.
The world number two Yin was two shots back in a five-way tie for second after a flawless 67 in front of her home crowd in the Chinese city of Hangzhou.
“It’s not bad to have a bogey-free round for my 21st,” smiled Yin, known affectionately as “Ronnie” on the LPGA Tour, after she flew out of the blocks with five birdies in her first eight holes.
She parred the rest and said she wasn’t bothered by being deposed from world number one earlier this week by rising American star Lilia Vu.
“Number two, number one — doesn’t matter as long as I can win,” Yin told AFP.
Baba, who won the 2022 US Amateur Championship, is just 18 and attacked the West Lake International course with the carefree abandon of a teenager.
She recorded nine birdies against two bogeys to overshadow this year’s Women’s US PGA Championship winner, Yin.
“I was hitting the ball well and making my putts, so it was good,” said Baba.
“It was the first time I had played in China on this course but from the practice round it felt very comfortable.”
India’s Aditi Ashok missed an Olympic medal by one stroke in Tokyo two years ago and she also began with a five-under 67.
But there was disappointment for Ashok when she found out this week that her dad, who alternates caddie duties with her mum, wouldn’t be able to carry her clubs in Hangzhou.
“Dad’s here but just walking,” Ashok said. “We thought our own caddies were allowed, but no, everyone has to use local caddies.
“But I think that’s good in a way, too.”
Starting from hole 10 playing alongside Baba, Ashok caught light with three birdies in a row around the turn.
The world number 47 almost spectacularly holed her approach to the par-four 18th, her ninth, leading to a tap-in three.
‘Nothing to lose’
World number 13 Lin Xiyu and 143rd-ranked Liu Yu made a hat-trick of 67s for China’s golfers. The fifth member of the tie for second was Thailand’s Yubol Arpichaya.
Yuka Saso won Asian Games gold representing the Philippines in 2018, when it was exclusively an amateur tournament, and went on to win the US Open in 2021.
Saso, who now plays for Japan, is absent this year but diminutive amateur Rianne Malixi picked up the baton for the Philippines with a four-under 68.
“It’s been fun so far, especially with some of the LPGA stars playing,” the 16-year-old Malixi said after finishing in a share of seventh place.
“So really I have nothing to lose. I’m just soaking it in this week.”
Japan and China were tied for first in the women’s team competition after the first day on 10-under par, where the best two individual scores of each team count.
China’s Yin said that aspect made the Games golf special, especially because she is good friends with teammates Lin and Liu.
“My teammates are awesome. We have a strong team. They’re always telling me, ‘I’ve got your back.'”
