It was a dream finish for South Korean golfer Yunseo Yang at the 2026 Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific (WAAP) championship, which was held, for the first time, in New Zealand at the prestigious Royal Wellington Golf Club. The 18-year-old set a fierce early pace in the event, following up with an assault of back-nine birdies and ultimately signing for a bogey-free eight-under-par 64.

The fans went into overdrive when she smashed a solid 230-yard drive and made a 12-foot eagle putt on the 14th hole. “I hit with a wood and there was wind from the back, which helped the shot, and it bounced once well onto the green,” she remarked casually during the post-championship press conference.

As part of our commitment to supporting local athletes and women’s golf, Mercedes-Benz New Zealand was the official vehicle partner of WAAP, providing transport for players and event officials – including a fleet of the efficient and adventure-ready Mercedes-Benz GLC 350 e 4MATIC SUV. On display at the 18th hole was the performance-hungry Mercedes-AMG GT 63 Coupé.

Raising the profile of women golfers

A field of 84 players from 25 countries competed in this year’s WAAP, held by The R&A, golf’s global governing body. The championship is integral to raising the profile of emerging golfing talent throughout the region and launching athletes on an international sporting stage.

And while the Royal Wellington course was in mint condition for the event’s eighth edition, the weather – notably the windspeed, which hit more than 80km/h during the final round, with bouts of heavy rain – provided competitors with a serious challenge.

After recovering from a slow start to post a 70, the highest-ranked player going into the championship, Soomin Oh – Yang’s teammate and sometimes training partner – was the runner-up with an eight-under 280.

Australia’s Jazy Roberts tied for third with the Philippines’ Rianne Mikhaela Malixi. They were among the few players to break par.

Defending champion Jeneath Wong of Malaysia opted for a confident yet relaxed approach to the championship and finished in equal 16th place. “I didn't put too much pressure on myself,” she said afterwards. “I just enjoyed it.”

New Zealand’s brightest talents

The next generation of amateur New Zealand golfers impressed the crowd with their fierce on-course determination.

“It was great, even with the weather challenges and pin placements that you would probably never think would be there,” says Elise Barber, who, at just 13 years old, was the youngest competitor in the field. “Playing with different faces and seeing how they play around greens in tough conditions was an experience.”

A total of 11 New Zealanders – a championship record for the most participants from a single nation – teed off.

“That’s something else, isn’t it?” says Eunseo Choi, one of the country’s most accomplished amateur golfers. “We don’t get a lot of New Zealand players in such big tournaments. It’s really good for them to have this experience and get exposure. It really helps our game just grow more and more.”

Of the 11, Darae Chung finished highest on the leaderboard, with a five-over 293.

Local fan favourite Vivian Lu acknowledged the enthusiastic and supportive crowds. “I was walking down one of the holes with Caitlin Maurice,” she says, “and I was like, ‘Wow, I’m surprised this many people are out here watching, especially with this weather.’ It’s really cool that there are a lot of people watching women’s golf.”

The first step to bigger challenges

WAAP offers life-changing career opportunities to the winner, including invitations to play in three of 2026’s major championships: the AIG Women’s Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes in England, the Amundi Evian Championship in France and The Chevron Championship in the United States. They are also invited to elite championships like the upcoming Women’s Australian Open, which will be held at Kooyonga Golf Club in South Australia, and the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, a lead-in event to the Masters Tournament.

Hosting WAAP is a huge bonus for the New Zealand golf scene, reminding the world that the country is an attractive as a golf travel destination and strengthening the case for New Zealand to host future international tournaments.

Says CEO of Golf New Zealand Jeff Latch: “As the pinnacle women’s amateur golf championship in the Asia-Pacific region, the event provides a platform for the brightest young talents to compete on the world stage and will further inspire the next generation of golfers here in New Zealand.”