Koreans complete Queen Sirikit 3-peat; Filipinas end up last

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines wrapped up its campaign at the 43rd Queen Sirikit Cup in Miyazaki, Japan, in disappointing fashion — finishing last among 13 participating Asia-Pacific nations. It was the country’s worst performance in the history of the Asia-Pacific women’s amateur team golf championship.

Korea once again proved its regional supremacy, clinching its third consecutive Queen Sirikit Cup title with a commanding total of 544, finishing 15 strokes ahead of a resurgent Thailand (559). The Korean juggernaut had also triumphed in Manila Southwoods (2023) and New Zealand (2024).

Spearheading Korea’s campaign was Soomin Oh, who secured her second straight individual title after a brilliant final-round 69, completing the tournament with a 267.

She finished 11 strokes clear of Thai standout Prim Prachnakorn, who carded a 67 in the final round to end with a 278.

Korea’s Hong Sumin rounded out the top three individually with a 282 after a solid 70.

Thailand stormed into second place with a final round 135, overtaking Japan, which settled for third at 565 after a closing round of 143.

The Philippine team — composed of Reese Ng, Grace Quintanilla and Lisa Sarines — struggled throughout the tournament. The Filipinas opened with a 158 and followed with rounds of 156, 157, and another 156 to finish with a team total of 627, five strokes behind 12th-place Vietnam (622).

Ng led the team on the final day with a 77, followed by Quintanilla's 79. Sarines’ 84 was not counted under the tournament's three-to-play, two-to-count format. Ng’s round started on a rough note, with a bogey-bogey-double bogey stretch. Despite two birdies, she slipped with more mistakes including a double on No. 13 for a 40-37.

Quintanilla, meanwhile, mirrored her previous round's start with another double bogey on No. 1, birdied the second, but then unraveled with seven bogeys and another birdie to close at 38-41.

Sarines, backed by ICTSI who counted in the middle rounds, began her final round with a 38 on the front nine but collapsed with five bogeys, a double, and a triple bogey on the back nine for a 46.

Individually, the 13-year-old Sarines finished last in a field of 38. Ng tied for 29th, while Quintanilla ended up at 34th.

This performance marked a significant decline for the Philippines, which had been a competitive presence in previous editions. The team placed second in 2015 in Hong Kong and third in 2016 in Korea.

However, it slipped to sixth in China in 2017, recovered slightly with a fourth-place finish in Thailand (2018), before a downward spiral: 10th in Australia, 11th in Singapore, ninth at Manila Southwoods, 11th in New Zealand — and now, 13th and last in Japan.

The result underscored the urgent need for development and recalibration of the Philippines’ women’s amateur golf program to reclaim regional competitiveness.