Jakarta, October 19 - Malaysian amateur Michelle Koh and South African Connie Chen took the clubhouse lead today in the Enjoy Jakarta Ladies Indonesia Open before lightning stopped play for the day.
Koh fired an impressive second round four-under-par 68 while Chen carded a 69 at Palm Hill Golf Club.
They lead the Ladies Asian Golf Tour event on one-under-par 143 although three players on the course top the leaderboard.
India’s Smriti Mehra, the first round leader, and another Malaysian amateur Kelly Tan are three-under for the tournament after 12 holes.
Thailand’s Patcharachuta Kongkapan, playing in the same group, is two under.
Played was stopped at 2.45 allowing Koh and Chen to steal the limelight.
Koh, aged 22, graduated from Campbell University in North Carolina in May and intends to spend A year working hard on her game before deciding whether to turn professional.
After a strong round made up of five birdies and a bogey it looks as if she is on course for a promising career.
“I didn’t expect to play so well today. I was just focusing on swinging the club well. I have been working really hard with my dad so it’s great it has paid off,” said Koh.
Chen, who turns 20 next week, was ranked the number one amateur in South Africa when she turned professional in 2010. Last year was his first full season on the Ladies European Tour.
She birdied three out of the last five holes to catch Koh and give herself a great chance of claiming her maiden professional title.
Play will resume at 7am tomorrow with veteran Mehra hoping to maintain her consistent play.
“I am level par for my round today so I am playing comfortably but it is frustrating to have to stop. It is nice to be leading though and tomorrow should be an exciting day,” said the 40-year-old.
The glamorous Inez Putri, winner of this year’s Miss Indonesia title who is competing as an amateur, improved on her first round 79 by carding a 76.
It is proving to be an impressive tournament for the 23-year-old from Bali who has hardly played golf this year due to other commitments which included taking part in Miss World in June.
She is tied with the country’s only lady professional Lidya Ivana Jaya who has carded the same scores.
The Enjoy Jakarta Ladies Indonesia Open features 84 players. The tournament is played over 54 holes with no cut being made.
It is the most lucrative women’s national Open in South East Asia with the winner earning a cheque for US$30,000.
Completed second round scores:
143 – Michelle Koh (MAS) (a) 75 68, Connie Chen (RSA) 74 69
145 – Numa Gulyanamitta (THA) 74 71, Titiya Plucksataporn (THA) 74 71
146 – Alison Whitaker (AUS) 76 70, Vani Kapoor (IND) 76 70, Kusuma Meechai (THA) 73 73
147 – Anil Abu Bakar Johani (MAS) 75 72, Tiffany Tavee (USA) 75 72, Lim In-hong (KOR) 74 73, Tang Thi Nhung (VNM) 73 74
Selected:
149 – Rebecca Hudson (ENG) 76 73
151 – Stacey Keating (AUS) 76 75
152 – Nikki Garrett (AUS) 79 73
155 – Inez Putri (INA) (a) 79 76
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