Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (17 October) – Despite an aggressive charge by Germany, Thailand held onto a three-stroke lead at 8-under-par 284 after the second day of play at the Women's World Amateur Team Championship at Saujana Golf & Country Club.

“Our putters were not as hot as the weather,” said Thailand captain Angie Supahakarn. “But, we are happy with the result.”

Thailand, which held a four-stroke lead after the first day, played the Palm Course Thursday. They were buoyed by a 2-under-par 71 from 16-year-old twin Aree Song Wongluekiet and a 1-over-par 74 by Titiya Plucksataporn. First day individual leader Naree Song Wongluekiet shot a 2-over-par 75 and her score was not counted.

“This golf course is much more difficult than Bunga Raya,” Aree Song Wongluekiet said. “It is difficult to get the ball close. You don't get a flat lie in the fairways and you can't be as aggressive.”

Thailand is playing in just its third WATC, with previous participation in 1984 and 1996, with a best finish of 18th in their first appearance.

Germany, playing the Bunga Raya course, moved into second place on the merits of a 6-under-par team performance that included a 5-under-par 68 from Denise Simon – the day's lowest score -- and 1-under-par 72s from Martina Eberl and Pia Odefey. They hold second place along at 5-under-par 287 for 36 holes.

“She's a ball striker,” Eberl said of her teammate Simon. “If she is putting well, she can shoot low….really low.”

Spain at 4-under-par 288 is in third position followed by Italy (2-under-par 290) and Australia, Finland and Japan at even par 292. The USA was 8th at 1-over-par 293.

Australia matched Germany's 6-under-par performance on Bunga Ray on the strength of a pair of 3-under-par 70s from Katherine Hull and Lindsay Wright, who are U.S. collegiate teammates at Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif.

“All of us are good wedge players and we had a lot of birdie opportunities,” said Vicky Uwland, who shot 2-under-par 71 and did not have her score count.

The top half of the field will play on the Bunga Raya Course on Friday and the other half will play the Palm Course.

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.

For complete results, visit www.wagc.org. Photos are available at www.wagc.org/pix.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia – Results of Thursday's (17 October) second 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):

Pos Team (to par) Rd 2 Rd 1 Rd 2 Total
(to par)
1 Thailand -8 F -1 139 145 284
2 Germany -5 F -6 147 140 287
3 Spain -4 F -2 144 144 288
4 Italy -2 F -4 148 142 290
T5 Australia E F -6 152 140 292
T5 Finland E F +2 144 148 292
T5 Japan E F -1 147 145 292
8 United States
of America +1 F +4 143 150 293
T9 Korea +4 F +6 144 152 296
T9 Sweden +4 F +4 146 150 296
T11 Denmark +5 F +4 147 150 297
T11 Mexico +5 F E 151 146 297
T13 Canada +6 F +2 150 148 298
T13 Colombia +6 F +3 149 149 298
T15 Chinese Taipei +7 F +3 150 149 299
T15 France +7 F +6 147 152 299
T15 New Zealand +7 F +3 150 149 299
18 Norway +8 F +4 150 150 300
19 Netherlands +9 F +6 149 152 301
20 Great Britain
and Ireland +11 F +1 156 147 303
21 Austria +13 F +6 153 152 305
22 Switzerland +14 F +12 148 158 306
T23 Argentina +18 F +11 153 157 310
T23 Philippines +18 F +6 158 152 310
25 Belgium +21 F +5 162 151 313
26 Hong Kong,
China +22 F +11 157 157 314
27 Brazil +25 F +15 156 161 317
28 Malaysia +26 F +11 161 157 318
29 Portugal +29 F +21 154 167 321
30 South Africa +30 F +9 167 155 322
31 Guatemala +33 F +20 159 166 325
32 Chile +34 F +18 162 164 326
33 Russian
Federation +41 F +15 172 161 333
34 Slovakia +45 F +19 172 165 337
35 Puerto Rico +48 F +23 171 169 340
36 Greece +62 F +35 173 181 354
37 Bolivia +64 F +30 180 176 356
38 Croatia +81 F +44 183 190 373
39 Islamic Reb
of Iran +173 F +83 236 229 465