Chinese golf sensation Ding Wenyi to make pro debut on Challenge Tour after AAC triumph

Ding Wenyi, fresh from winning the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) in Tokyo, is set to make his professional debut this week at the $500,000 Hangzhou Open on the Challenge Tour. The tournament will be held at Hangzhou West Lake Golf Club in Hangzhou, China.

The 19-year-old, hailed as a potential future Major champion for China, clinched the AAC title with an impressive performance, shooting four consecutive rounds of 67 at the Taiheiyo Club Gotemba Course. His one-stroke victory over fellow Chinese player Zhou Ziqin, a freshman at the University of California, Berkeley, cemented his status as one of the brightest young talents in the sport.

Unlike previous AAC winners, Ding will forgo the traditional prize of earning invites to The Masters and The Open Championship. Instead, he has decided to turn professional, with an eye on securing playing rights for the 2025 DP World Tour through the Global Amateur Pathway.

Reflecting on the difficult decision, Ding shared: "I had long discussions with my coaches, friends, and agent. It's incredibly tough for young players to get a Tour card, and this opportunity felt like a rare chance that I had to take.

“Whether an amateur or professional, my goal remains the same—I want to compete in The Masters and The Open."

Ding’s AAC victory was significant after he lost in a play-off at Royal Melbourne the previous year. His emotions spilt over during the prize-giving ceremony, where he tearfully acknowledged that this would be his final amateur tournament.

Ding now joins a prestigious list of champions who have won at the Taiheiyo Club Gotemba, including legends like Seve Ballesteros, Jose Maria Olazábal, and Hideki Matsuyama.

Ding will tee off his first round as a professional tomorrow at 11:30 am, playing alongside Denmark’s Hamish Brown and England’s Brandon Robinson Thompson.