Aloysa Atienza in the hunt for women’s Santi Cup at SEA Amateur Golf Team C’Ships

SINGAPORE – Stepping onto the Seletar Country Club golf course on July 10, Aloysa Atienza’s goal was simple – stay patient and focus on every shot.

After all, the 25-year-old Singaporean has been prone to over-thinking, which would often lead to catastrophic results. A string of poor showings in 2023 prompted her to delay turning professional to stay on the Singapore Golf Association’s training programme.

Part of this includes regular sessions with mental skills coach Matt Ballard, who has been helping Atienza work through her lapses.

At the South-east Asian Amateur Golf Team Championships, Atienza is finally seeing the fruits of her labour after consecutive rounds of two-under 70 and one-over 73. She is second at 143 overall, just one stroke behind Thailand’s Pimpisa Rubrong (70) at the halfway mark of the individual women’s Santi Cup.

Singapore’s first-round co-leader Inez Ng laboured to a seven-over 79 and is tied-eighth at 149 total, while Jaymie Ng, who also carded a 79, is 16th on 155.

Beginning with two birdies in the first four holes, Atienza’s streak was halted after suffering three bogeys from holes No. 9 to 12. She steadied herself with a birdie on No. 14 but dropped another shot on the last hole.

When asked if she noticed any improvement in her mental approach, she said: “My game would usually be determined by how well I hit my shots.

“In the past, I would’ve probably continued dropping shots (after the three bogeys)... Today I didn’t recover as quickly as I wanted to, but I’m glad I still managed to recover after that.”

Adding that her goals include just taking it “one shot at a time” and staying in the “right headspace” especially when she is not hitting well, she said: “I’m just trying to keep it simple, manage my expectations as much as possible.”

She has enjoyed an upturn in form recently, clinching the Kuala Lumpur Amateur Open in May for her first win since 2022, which she called a “huge confidence booster”.

With team honours also at stake, Atienza will be aiming to stay consistent in the final two days of competition.

Two of the best daily scores will count towards the team standings, with Singapore third on four-over 292 overall, one shot behind Malaysia and six adrift of leaders Thailand.

In the men’s Putra Cup, Filipino Enrique Dimayuga opened up a two-shot lead after consecutive four-under 68s to surge to 136 for the tournament. Vietnam’s Nguyen Anh Minh (70) is second, two shots ahead of Hong Kong’s third-placed Markus Lam (69).

Singapore’s Ryan Ang carded a 71 and is tied-fourth with Thailand’s Thanawin Lee (71) at 141 overall.

Besides Ang, Singapore’s Sean Lee (76) and Bruce Kwong (78) were the others counting scores as the Republic fell to seventh in the nine-team standings at 13-over 445. The Philippines top the table on nine-under 423, two strokes ahead of second-placed Hong Kong.

Dimayuga said: “I just feel confident that what I’m doing is enough and I don’t really need to change too much or force anything. If I just continue my process, I will give myself opportunities to make birdies.

“As for everyone else, I hope they all play well and make it tight and exciting. That’s how I see it.”

Competition is certainly tight in the girls’ Under-16 Kartini Cup, as Singapore Open Amateur Championship winner Chen Xingtong (71) leads Thailand’s Kritchanya Kaopattanaskul (72) by one stroke at even-par 144. Singapore also lead the team event on three-over 291, three shots ahead of Thailand.

Singapore are also dominating the boys’ U-16 Lion City Cup with the duo of Troy Storm (72) and Brayden Lee (74) taking the top two spots. With a combined five-under 283 overall, the Republic are atop the team standings, nine shots ahead of Thailand.