SEA Games 2023: Atienza celebrates hole-in-one before Cambodia outing

SINGAPORE – National golfer Aloysa Atienza had to skip training for almost a week due to a nagging left knee injury caused by a cyst.

Then her much sought after practice round last Wednesday at the Singapore Island Country Club’s (SICC) Island course was cancelled because of lightning and rain.

Still, Atienza,

silver-medallist at the last SEA Games in 2022,

managed to smile and remain buoyant for the tasks ahead, thanks to SICC’s recognition of her hole-in-one at the Women’s Amateur Asia Pacific 2023 on March 11 at the Millennium course.

The club presented her with a certificate, flag memento signed by Michelle Wie and an offer to play 12 free rounds over a year at the club’s three courses – Island, New and Bukit. In addition, she will be allowed access to the driving range, chipping area and putting surface.

Atienza, 24,

bagged the ace on the Millennium 149-yard eighth hole

with an eight-iron during the third round of the competition.

Said a beaming Atienza, who left for Cambodia with six other SEA Games teammates on Saturday: “The timing of this surprise presentation cannot be better. With the Games only days away and the injury a little irritating, my spirits have been lifted by this recognition.

“It was my third hole-in-one, but the first in a tournament. I hit a perfect shot and the ball landed on the green and rolled forward over the ridge and straight into the pocket. I was thrilled when I saw my teammates and a couple of Singapore officials jumping for joy. And it came during a period when my overall game was certainly not on par.

“I want to thank SICC, the Singapore Golf Association and the R&A, whose officials were present at the presentation. They were also very encouraging.”

The affable golfer will team up with

United States-based Hailey Loh,

recent winner of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Western Athletic Conference Women’s Golf Championship in Washington, and Jaymie Ng for the individual and team competitions at the Garden City Golf Club in Phnom Penh for the Games starting on Monday.

For the men’s competition, Singapore will be represented by Ryan Ang – an amateur who made the cut at the DP World Tour at Laguna National’s Classic course in February – Brandon Han, Daryl Low and Justin Kuk.

The men’s team returned empty-handed at the last Games but in 2017 won the team gold coupled with Marc Ong’s silver medal, and in 2019 won gold through James Leow and silver in the team event.

The individual events will be held on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, the results from which the seedings will be done for the team competition in matchplay format.