When the Women’s China Open first teed off in 2006, the occasion was quietly significant. At the time, women’s golf in the Middle Kingdom was still taking fledgling steps in the global game. The domestic circuit was modest, the talent pool limited and the pathway to elite professional circuits like the LPGA Tour seemed distant, if not daunting.
Yet that first swing in Xiamen coincided with the dawn of a new era, one in which the nation’s most talented women would soon find their footing at home before spreading their wings abroad to challenge the best of the best and eventually write Chinese golf into the pages of sporting history.
Nearly two decades after the inaugural event, the transformation has been profound in China. From Feng Shanshan’s trailblazing major victory in 2012 to the steady rise of top players such as Janet Lin Xiyu, Yin Ruoning and Miranda Wang on the LPGA Tour, and milestone Olympic Games moments in Rio de Janeiro and Paris where Feng and Lin earned bronze medals, women’s golf in China has certainly been propelled to the forefront with great force.
Such has been the impact and growth in China that golfers from across Southeast Asia, including a strong representation of Thai players such as Sherman Santiwiwatthanaphong, Onkanok Soisuwan and Kan Bunnabodee, are now looking at the CLPG Tour as the career springboard as they dream of the stars.
At the heart of this rise has been the Women’s China Open. It is not just another stop on the calendar, it is the flagship event on the CLPG Tour, where every talented golfer aspires to join her idols and attain world-class stature.
For Feng, the country’s first major champion and its most iconic player, the Women’s China Open was an early inspiration especially when she saw firsthand how Korean superstars Shin Jiyai, Kim Hyo-Joo and Park Sung-Hyun dominated on Chinese soil by winning the Open five times amongst them. Shin is a former world No.1, Kim and Park are major champions and the trio holds a staggering 109 professional victories combined.
“Growing up as a young golfer, the Women’s China Open was a tournament that held special meaning for me. The experiences I gained over the years played a pivotal role in shaping my career,” said Feng, who has 22 career wins including 10 on the LPGA Tour.
Feng’s victory at the Women’s PGA Championship in 2012, one of golf’s majors, broke barriers for Chinese golf, but she has never overlooked the foundation that events like the Women’s China Open and the CLPG Tour provided.
“I am proud to see Chinese golfers achieving success on the LPGA Tour, and I believe the future of women’s golf in China is exceptionally bright.”
For Janet Lin Xiyu, who has taken a temporary leave of absence from the LPGA Tour for the arrival of her first child, the Women’s China Open was both a launching pad and a personal milestone. She became the first Chinese golfer to lift the trophy in 2019, an achievement she cherishes as much as her achievements abroad, including a podium finish at the Paris Olympic Games last summer.
“That achievement will always hold a special place in my heart, and I am proud to have contributed to the growth of our country’s golfing history,” said Lin, who owns seven CLPG Tour victories. “From the time I began competing, the Women’s China Open stood out as one of the most important tournaments on the calendar. It inspired me to push harder and strive for excellence. Like all great national Opens, it has played a pivotal role in developing women’s golf, providing a stage for Chinese players to challenge themselves.”
From the inaugural edition in Xiamen to this year’s groundbreaking move to Shanghai where the tournament will be played at Enhance Anting Golf Club from Oct 17-19, all eyes will be on the next wave of Chinese and regional aspiring stars. The local starlets include a group of amateurs such as 18-year-old Wang Zixuan, Xu Ying, 16, and 15-year-old Zhou Shiyuan — all of whom have won on the CLPG Tour this season.
The CLPG Tour has also provided opportunities for regional and aspiring golfers from Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia to sharpen their professional teeth, with the likes Sherman Santiwiwatthanaphong (THA), Onkanok Soisuwan (THA), Kan Bunnabodee (THA), Jocelyn Chee (MAS), Ng Jing Xuen (MAS), Amanda Tan (SIN) and Patricia Sinolungan (INA) benefitting immensely. With Thailand’s Jeeno Thitikul rising to world No.1 recently, the importance of women’s golf growth across the Asia-Pacific is not lost on many.
Kan, 24, was in the national team with Jeeno during their amateur days and believes the CLPG Tour offers a career pathway to the top as the No.1 from the points list will secure playing rights on the Korean LPGA Tour.
“Seeing Jeeno’s success on the LPGA Tour, I’m really proud of her. It was amazing to see her reach world No.1 which is motivating me to want to achieve it too,” said Kan.
The upswing in fortunes is certainly testament to the fact that the Women’s China Open is proving to be just the origin of greatness for women’s golf in the country, and region wide.