Xiamen, Fujian Province, China: Former amateur standout Angelina Ye Lei produced a flawless performance to win the Orient Women’s China Open, her first title as a professional.
A four-time participant in the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific (WAAP), the 22-year-old Stanford University graduate closed with a five-under 67 at the Orient (Xiamen) Golf and Country Club.
With a 54-hole total of 14-under 202, Ye finished two shots clear of Chinese amateur Wang Zixuan, the runner-up.
The win was worth RMB75,000 and earned Ye six points in the Rolex Women’s World Ranking. Remarkably, over the three rounds, she did not drop a single stroke in what is the China LPGA Tour’s flagship event.
It’s the first time in the history of the China LPGA Tour that a player has completed a tournament without dropping a shot.
“The most difficult putt was the last putt from three feet. I knew I had a two-shot lead, but I really wanted to end the event without any bogey. To my great relief, I made it and earned my maiden victory,” said the Shanghai native.
“I’ve been a pro for five months and have just played six or seven events as a pro. I must say that this win is quick. But my CLPGA debut was 10 years ago when I was 12. In that case, it’s also a long time.”
Ye was the leading mainland China finisher in the first three editions of the WAAP.
In the inaugural event in Singapore in 2018 she tied for 20th. The following year she was sixth in Japan and then tied 16th in Abu Dhabi in 2021. In her last appearance in the WAAP, she was joint 46th in Thailand in 2022.
In their final-round duel in Xiamen, Wang, who began the day one stroke being Ye, struck first when she sank a six-foot downhill putt at the second for birdie to draw even. At the 320-yard third, Ye answered with a birdie to go one shot ahead. Wang then birdied the par-five fifth before both players picked up a shot on the 340-yard seventh to make the turn deadlocked at 11-under.
The back nine would prove the difference as Ye holed an 18-footer for birdie at the par-three 12th and gained further strokes at the par-four 13th and par-five 17th. Wang’s solitary back-nine birdie came at the 13th.
Wang, who battled illness throughout the tournament, enjoyed her best finish against a pro field, despite missing a birdie putt on the 17th hole and making an errant drive at the last.
“I missed a five-foot birdie chance on 17 and knew I couldn’t catch up with her (Ye),” said the teenager, 224th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.
“I am still under the weather. I had a high fever in the morning and cold symptoms on the back nine. I also had a pain in my knee. But I am thrilled to have my best finish against the best professional players. At this stage, I just tried to learn from them. I gained confidence from it and believe I will be in the mix next year.”
China’s Michelle Zhang Yunxuan closed with a 69 to finish third on 205, one shot ahead of fellow rookie pro Fiona Xu (67) of New Zealand, a member of the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation team that contested the Solheim Cup-style Patsy Hankins Trophy against the European Golf Association in Spain in August.
Zhang, winner of this month’s CGA Ladies Championship, lamented a missed opportunity to claim a second straight title. Her round included five birdies and two bogeys while playing in the final group.
“The final round was not what I wanted. My iron play was the best of the week, but I missed plenty of putts, especially on the front nine. I missed a six-footer at the third hole, and a three-footer at the sixth hole,” said the Texas-based 19-year-old.
“But I felt my game was at a higher level since I came back to China. I had six rounds in the 60s (at two tournaments), which was pleasing,” she added.
Thailand’s Sherman Santiwiwatthanaphong (71) finished equal 27th, just enough to keep China's Zeng Liqi (68) at bay and capture the China LPGA Tour Order of Merit. With the title comes the right to play events next year on the LPGA of Korea Tour.
“It’s been a successful year for me. I think I have a lot more confidence in myself,” said 27-year-old Bueng Kan native Sherman who earned RMB278,472 in prize money from nine events. That was RMB31,093 more than runner-up Zeng.
