Malaysian debutant Nur Diana Syafiqah Abdullah and Foong Zi Yu are aiming to showcase their best golf as the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific (WAAP) Championship tees off at Royal Wellington Golf Club on Thursday.
Seventeen-year-old Nur Diana earned a late call-up to the elite field and will face the region’s top amateurs for the first time, while 20-year-old Zi Yu is targeting a strong challenge by sticking to her “boring golf” approach.
The duo are among five Malaysians in the field, led by defending champion Jeneath Wong, the first Malaysian to win the title last year.
Nur Diana, a two-time World Amateur Golf Ranking winner in 2025, says the experience is a valuable learning opportunity, drawing inspiration from world No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul for her consistency and course management.
Zi Yu, who studies at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, feels more confident than in her previous WAAP appearances after attending the WAAP Academy at Royal Wellington. With multiple top-10 finishes in the United States last year, she believes smart play on the par-fives and staying patient in windy conditions will be key this week.
