Singapore: Koh Sock Hwee has booked her place in Singapore’s marquee golf tournament for a record fourth time following a tense victory in the HSBC Women’s World Championship National Qualifying Tournament at Sentosa Golf Club.

Playing at her home club, 33-year-old Koh carded a second-round 75 to go with an opening 73 over the Tanjong Course at the Sentosa venue, a Facility Member of the Asian Golf Industry Federation.

Singapore number one Amanda Tan finished second after posting rounds of 76 and 74, with Aloysa Atienza, a 24-year old amateur, in third place with an aggregate score of 158.

Speaking about her appearance in the HSBC Women’s World Championship, which returns to Sentosa from March 3-6, Koh said: “It means a lot because it’s the first really competitive round that I’ve played in two years, so I’m glad to have hung on and sealed the deal.

“I’m really excited because the last time I played (in the HSBC event), I believe it was 2016. This year is a bit more special because we haven’t been able to compete the past two years due to Covid, so everybody wanted that spot because it’s ‘Asia’ Major’.

“It’s the qualifier everybody wants to play in. It’s the one event everyone wants to win, so we get that spot in the HSBC Women’s World Championship. It’s a great start for us, because we have a bit of home advantage, familiar with the course and conditions.

“For me, as a pro, it’s good to see how the others prepare for a tournament, what they do during practice round and during the week that separates them from us. The HSBC Women’s World Championship is great for golf, especially ladies golf in Singapore, so a lot of aspiring juniors can work towards competing in this event.”

Asked who she would most like to tee-off with in two weeks’ time, Koh said: “I’d like to play with Lydia Ko, I played with her as an amateur, I think it was 2011. She’s in great form now, and it would be nice to play with her again.”

For her part, Tan, who was also vying for a fourth start in the tournament, was philosophical about her result. She said: “I played pretty good on the front nine, made some really good saves. But a bit more sloppy on the back nine, so that cost me.”

The 2022 HSBC Women’s World Championship National Qualifying Tournament was contested by seven amateurs and three professionals over 36 holes of stroke play on the championship’s Tanjong Course.