Chongqing, China: Teenage amateur sensation Zhou Shiyuan has won her second straight China LPGA Tour title, creating more golfing history in the process.
In front of her hometown fans, the 14-year-old belied her tender years to defeat professional Michelle Zhang Yunxuan at the second hole of a sudden-death play-off in the Kove China Sports Lottery Chongqing Women’s Open.
With the victory, Zhou becomes the youngest player to record two wins on the CLPGA Tour. She's also the first amateur to win back-to-back since Yin Xiaowen in 2021.
Following her maiden China LPGA Tour triumph at last month’s Zhangjiagang Shuangshan Challenge, Zhou rose to 121st in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), making her the leading Chinese amateur in the standings. With her latest success, she'll be close to breaking into the world’s top-100 for the first time.
Starting the final day in Chongqing one stroke off the lead, Zhou closed with an even-par 72 over the King Run Nanshan Golf Club course to finish on five-under 211, deadlocked with overnight co-leader Zhang (73).
At the first play-off hole, the 525-yard 18th, both players made par. At the second time of asking, it was Zhou who prevailed after a brilliant pitch from 98 yards spun back to within 12 inches of the cup for a tap-in birdie.
After watching Zhang’s 25-footer for a four graze the hole, Zhou duly converted her short winning putt.
“I am proud of myself with this win as a Chongqing local player after a long day. That was the best shot that I hit,” said Zhou of her approach on the second play-off hole.
“This win is not easy. I tempered my expectations on the back nine where Michelle (Zhang) made three birdies. I wasn’t stressed. After my first win in Shuangshan, I have plenty self-confidence.”
Zhang, who carded four birdies, three bogeys and a double-bogey five at the 164-yard seventh hole in wet conditions, picked up the RMB75,000 winner’s purse as the top pro.
The second-year pro said Zhou deserved the win as she didn’t make any big mistakes.
“I put myself into a tough spot on the front nine with that double-bogey at the seventh after two bogeys in a row. But I didn’t give up and made three nice birdies after the turn,” said 19-year-old Zhang, who last year won the CGA Ladies Championship in Hainan Island.
“I found out my weak point this week. I need to play better off the tee and make more putts. I will work on this for the LPGA Q-Series next month,” she added.
Amateur Li Menghan, joint overnight leader with Zhou, carded a 74 to finish one shot back in third, while Chongqing native Li Dongmei closed with a 68 to claim fourth place.
Li Menghan, a 15-year-old from Weihai in Shandong Province, shed tears of disappointment after missing a 12-foot putt on the final hole that would have put her in the play-off. Her round included three birdies, one bogey and two doubles.
“I am just one shot short,” lamented the teenager, 360th in the WAGR at the start of the week. “I was very confident about my last putt. I believed that I could make it, but I didn’t.”