Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (16 October) – Naree and Aree Song Wongluekiet, identical 16-year-old twins, shot 5-under-par 68 and 2-under-par 71, respectively, to pace Thailand to a four-stroke lead after the first day of the Women's World Amateur Team Championship at Saujana Golf & Country Club.

“I didn't start off well because I missed the first three or four greens but I made the putts to save par,” said Naree, whose 68 was the lowest individual score of the day and tied for the lowest first round score in Espirito Santo Trophy competition. The 68 included six birdies, four on the inward nine. “On the back nine, I started making some putts. But, I didn't have an expectation score-wise. I just wanted to play well.”

Thailand, with a 7-under-par score of 139, set a WATC mark with the lowest first round team score. The leaders are followed by the USA, which posted a 2-under-par 71 from Laura Myerscough and 1-under-par 72 from 2002 U.S. Women's Amateur champion Becky Lucidi for a 3-under-par total of 143. Both teams played the Bunga Raya Course.

Behind the USA were Finland, Korea and Spain at 2-under-par 144. Only five teams managed to break par of the 39 in the field and all played on the Bunga Raya Course. Defending champion France finished at 1-over-par 147, eight strokes off the lead.

The Song Wongluekiets, who reside in the United States in Bradenton, Fla., attend a golf academy and private school there. Both have competed in LPGA Tour events. Naree, the younger twin by three minutes, won the 2001 Thailand Open and was the low amateur at the 2000 U.S. Women's Open. Aree won the U.S. Girls' Junior championship at age 13 and was the low amateur at this summer's U.S. Women's Open.

“After the four rounds of practice days, I felt we could have a good score depending on putting,” said Thailand captain Angie Suphakarn. “Today, Naree putted very well.”

Conducted by the World Amateur Golf Council, which comprises national governing bodies of golf in more than 100 countries, the World Amateur Team Championships are a biennial international amateur competition, which is rotated among three geographic zones: Asia-Pacific, American and European-African.

Each team, which has two or three players, plays 18 holes of stroke play for four days. In each round, the total of the two lowest scores by players from each team constitutes the team score for the round. The four-day (72 holes) total is the team's score for the championship.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Results of Wednesday's (16 October) first round of the Women's World Amateur Team Championship, played at the Saujana Golf & Country Club (Palm Course: par 36-37—73, 5,618 meters, 6,147 yards; Bunga Raya Course: par: 36-37—73, 5,477 meters, 5,994 yards):
1 Thailand -7 F 139
2 United States of America -3 F 143
T3 Finland -2 F 144
T3 Korea -2 F 144
T3 Spain -2 F 144
6 Sweden E F 146
T7 Denmark +1 F 147
T7 France +1 F 147
T7 Germany +1 F 147
T7 Japan +1 F 147
T11 Italy +2 F 148
T11 Switzerland +2 F 148
T13 Colombia +3 F 149
T13 Netherlands +3 F 149
T15 Canada +4 F 150
T15 Chinese Taipei +4 F 150
T15 New Zealand +4 F 150
T15 Norway +4 F 150
19 Mexico +5 F 151
20 Australia +6 F 152
T21 Argentina +7 F 153
T21 Austria +7 F 153
23 Portugal +8 F 154
T24 Brazil +10 F 156
T24 Great Britain and Ireland +10 F 156
26 Hong Kong, China +11 F 157
27 Philippines +12 F 158
28 Guatemala +13 F 159
29 Malaysia +15 F 161
T30 Belgium +16 F 162
T30 Chile +16 F 162
32 South Africa +21 F 167
33 Puerto Rico +25 F 171
T34 Russian Federation +26 F 172
T34 Slovakia +26 F 172
36 Greece +27 F 173
37 Bolivia +34 F 180
38 Croatia +37 F 183
39 Islamic Republic of Iran +90 F 236