India’s 16-year-old golfer Avani Prashanth scripted history by winning the Queen Sirikit Cup 2023 at the Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club in the Philippines on Friday.
This is the first time that an Indian golfer has won the prestigious regional amateur championship which has been held since 1979.
Avani’s result also helped the Indian team finish second behind South Korea. It was the best-ever showing by Indian female golfers at the competition.
Avani Prashanth, currently ranked 97th in the world amateur golf rankings, returned a four-day aggregate of 16-under 272 (68-66-70-68), a record-breaking 10 shots ahead of second-placed New Zealander Fiona Xu, who managed a six-under 282.
Avani Prashanth hit four birdies in the back nine on the fourth day for a strong finish.
Local Filipino star, Rianne Mikhaela Malixi 283 (68-73-68-74) and Korea’s Hyunjo Yoo 283 (70-71-71-71) were tied third at five-under.
In the team event, Avani Prashanth’s team-mates Vidhatri Urs 297 (74-77-72-74) finished Tied 19th while Nishna Patel 303 (80-78-74-75) ended T30.
The South Korean team of Kim Min-sol, Yoo Hyun-jo and Seo Kyo-rim had a 72-hole team aggregate of 12-under 564 – five strokes clear of India. Japan came third a further four shots behind. The two best scores of each team were counted for their day’s scores.