SINGAPORE Sports School student Joey Poh qualified for the prestigious HSBC Women’s Champions tournament for the second straight year, when the golfer won the two-day qualifying competition at the Tanah Merah Country Club yesterday.

She carded a four-over 76 for a two-day total of 153, six shots better than second-placed local golfer Ji Jiali, thus earning her the host-country invite that allows her to play alongside top women golfers during the Feb 25-28 tournament.

“Hopefully, I can do better than last year,” the 16-year-old said after her round yesterday.

“I need more practice on this course, and improve my chipping before the tournament arrives.”

Joey admitted that she was hit by the nerves last year, being an amateur among a star-studded line-up of top professional golfers.

She finished the four-day competition with a 33-over 321.

This time round, she believes that her skill has improved.

And, judging from her confident display yesterday, she is ready for another star-studded tournament.

Leading by a stroke after the first round, she remained unruffled by bad shots, and took her chances as other golfers piled up their own errors.

She did not even notice that she had taken a six-stroke lead, and said she panicked “for nothing” when she suffered a bogey at the 17th hole.

Joey looks forward to meeting all the golfing greats coming to the tournament, particularly Michelle Wie.

“She just looks so cool,” she said with a smile.

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