Singapore quintet set for Kiwi adventures at Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific

Singapore Golf Association (SGA) national squad members Chen Xingtong, Inez Ng, SydnieNg, Aamiya Koul and Amelie Ng will be joining the best young talent in the region for the eighth edition of the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific (WAAP) championship at Royal Wellington, New Zealand, in February.

Chen, who became the first Singaporean to qualify for the U.S. Girls Junior Championship final in July last year, will tee up in her fifth WAAP appearance, with a tied 23rd finish at Hoiana Shores, Vietnam in March last year being her best result. 

Ng will, meanwhile, make her sixth start alongside Sydnie, who enjoyed a debut appearance in Vietnam, while Koul and Amelie will be making their debuts in New Zealand.

17-year-old Chen, part of the silver medal–winning team at last year’s SEA Games, is excited to return to Royal Wellington as she was amongst the participants in the recent Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Academy, which is delivered by The R&A and the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) to strengthen the development pathway in the region.

“I’m very excited for the 2026 WAAP, especially after the amazing opportunity in the WAAP Academy, where I was able to play and experience the course. Also, this SEA Games team silver medal gives me confidence that I hope to bring to Royal Wellington,” said the teenager, who was named as 2025 SGA Female Golfer of the Year.

“I think the opportunity to compete against and learn from the top amateurs in the Asia-Pacific region has definitely helped me in my growth and development as a golfer. I’ve learnt to play in many different conditions and to perform under pressure, which is crucial in golf.”

A total of 83 players from 28 countries are set to contest the WAAP, which was developed by the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) and The R&A to nurture talent and provide a pathway for the region’s elite women amateurs to the international stage. 

Current World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand is the most notable WAAP champion who has gone on to establish herself in women’s professional golf after becoming the inaugural winner at Sentosa Golf Club, Singapore in 2018.

Chen is hoping to shine against the top amateurs in New Zealand and will use her U.S. Girls Junior Championship achievement as motivation. “I think my performance at the U.S. Girls definitely inspires a lot of confidence in myself and I learnt that I do have what it takes to compete in high-level golf,” she said.

“This WAAP championship is an incredibly prestigious event and an amazing opportunity for golfers like myself to gain experience and exposure. It’s an event we strive for as the winner will earn invitations to compete in three majors and other elite championships.”

The WAAP field includes 13 players from the top-50 of the World Amateur Golf Ranking and 26 from the top-100, including world No. 12 Soomin Oh from the Republic of Korea and world No. 15 Rianne Malixi of the Philippines who will headline the 2026 edition alongside defending champion Jeneath Wong, the first Malaysian winner in WAAP history.

Chen believes it would be a boon for the development of the game if any Singaporeans continue to punch above their weight abroad.

“It would be huge, especially for helping the growth of golf in Singapore. While we are a small country, seeing our neighbour Malaysia succeed on this stage gives us motivation to keep pushing for more,” said Chen.

Chen is currently the highest-ranked Singaporean player on the Women’s World Amateur Golf Ranking at No. 158.

In July, she created headlines by finishing runner-up in the U.S. Girls Junior Championship,where she lost 2 & 1 in the final to Canadian Aphrodite Deng. She reached the final following an impressive run, which included a win over top seed Grace Carter in the semi-finals.

A two-time Singapore Junior Golf champion, she is also the youngest ever champion in the history of the Singapore Open Amateur after winning in 2024 as a 15-year-old.

The best Singaporean finish at the WAAP was achieved by Yoko Tai in 2021 when she finished tied-16th.

The WAAP offers life-changing opportunities to the winner, including exemptions into three major championships in 2026 – the AIG Women’s Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes, the Amundi Evian Championship in France and the Chevron Championship in the United States of America.

The winner will also receive invitations to a handful of other elite championships such as the Hana Financial Group Championship, ISPS HANDA Women’s Australian Open, The 123rd Women’s Amateur Championship and the Augusta National Women’s Amateur. The R&A and APGC are supported by championship event partners that share their commitment to developing golf in the Asia-Pacific.

The Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific championship is proudly supported by Rolex, ISPS Handa, Royal Wellington Golf Club, Samsung, Hana Financial Group, Nippon Kabaya Ohayo Holdings, Peter Millar, New Zealand Mercedes-Benz, Titleist and Tongariro as well as investment partners New Zealand Major Events and Wellington Council.