Following the South African swing on the Ladies European Tour (LET) we moved east to Singapore for our first Aramco Team Series event of the year presented by Public Investment Fund.
With team and individual titles up for grabs at Laguna National Golf Resort Club, the Draft kicked off proceedings with World No 1 Lydia Ko selecting Germany’s Aline Krauter as her first captain’s pick.
Elsewhere, Denmark’s Amalie Leth-Nissen was given the same honour by fellow countrywoman Emily Kristine Pedersen, while Czechia’s Sara Kouskova chose France’s Nastasia Nadaud as her first pick.
Onto the golf, and is was Thailand’s Trichat Cheenglab who started brightest among the rookies as she carded a 69 (-3) to surge into early contention.
Day two brought the conclusion of the team event, and a wonderful 68 from Germany’s Patricia Isabel Schmidt helped Team Roussin finish in second place behind Team Wolf.
After two days 11 rookies made the cut which stood at +7. This included Cheenglab, Schmidt, Kouskova, Krauter, Nadaud, Emma Spitz, Momoka Kobori, Alexandra Forsterling, April Angurasaranee, Kirsten Rudgeley and Lauren Holmey.
Austria’s Spitz was the most consistent performer over the first two days as she placed T3 following rounds of 70 (-2) and 69 (-3).
But come Saturday it was Cheenglab who picked up rookie of the week as she bounced back from a 74 (+2) to fire a 67 (-6) and finish T7.
Speaking after her final round, Cheenglab said: “I didn’t play so well in Kenya, Morocco or South Africa, so I replanned everything with my dad. I was able to use my driver more this week, and my driver is the strongest club in my bag so I was quite confident at this golf course.
“It’s my first team at the Aramco Team Series, I have never played in an event like this before. Alice [Hewson] and Becky [Brewerton] helped me a lot and they’re very nice. We finished in 15th which was quite good.
“There were not many rookies here in Singapore so it was a very good opportunity for me. I just grabbed it and I was very confident with my shots and was focused on what I was doing.
“The food is very similar to my hometown so I have quite enjoyed that. The weather also is very hot but I’m used to it.”
Spitz and Kobori were the next best rookies finishing T16 on -2. Schmidt was one shot further back in T20.
Germany’s Forsterling ended the week T23 on even par alongside Kouskova. Thailand’s Angurasaranee was one behind them in T28 – a finish which takes her to top spot in the Rookie of The Year standings.
Next up for the rookies is the Jabra Ladies Open which tees off on May 11 at Evian Resort Golf Club.
