Published July 17, 2008 on April 18, 2018

Top Juniors Looking to Improve Their Rank at the JGTA Phuket Junior Open

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High-ranking JGTA Junior Order of Merit holders set the pace in the action-packed first round of the JGTA Phuket Junior Open at the Laguna Golf Phuket. In total, competitors from nine countries are playing to improve their ranking in the JGTA Junior Order of Merit – the source for AJGA PBE Status in Asia.

Scores are tight atop the leaderboard in the Boy’s Division. Willy Chen (2022) of Taipei, Taiwan leads the field after firing a two-under-par 69 with a total of six birdies. Chen currently sits fourth in the JGTA Junior Order of Merit and finished in second place at the JGTA Taiwan Junior Championship earlier this season.

Conor Kelly (2019) of Bangkok, Thailand, Ting Yu Chen (2019) of Taoyuan, Taiwan, Chi Yi Huang (2019) of Taoyuan, Taiwan, Pongsapak Laopakdee (2023) of Bangkok, Thailand, and Chia Yin Yeh (2021) of Taoyuan, Taiwan are in a five-way tie for second place after posting scores of even-par 71. Kelly, Chen, and Huang are currently in the top 10 in the JGTA Junior Order of Merit.

Current JGTA Junior Order of Merit Leader Camille Boyd (2020) of (USA) Shanghai, China leads in the Girl’s Division after firing a one-under-par 70. Boyd, a fully exempt AJGA status holder, won the JGTA Bintan Lagoon Junior Championship earlier this year. A good finish in the JGTA Phuket Junior Open will make her hard to top in the JGTA Junior Order of Merit leading into the final event of the JGTA season, the JGTA Myanmar Junior Championship.

Phuket local Surapa Janthamunee (2021) is in second place after firing a first round two-over-par 73. This is Janthamunee’s first JGTA appearance. JGTA Taiwan Junior Championship winner Jana Ni (2021) of Beijing, China and runner up Natachanok Tunwannarux (2023) of Bangkok, Thailand are tied for third heading into the second round after shooting scores of 74. Ni holds the lowest Rolex AJGA Ranking in the Girl’s Division.