Shanghai, China: The growing depth of China’s male professional golfers was underlined with four home players making the top-10 for the first time ever during four quality days at the Volvo China Open.

Only on three previous occasions had two Chinese players finished in the top-10 during the previous 29 editions of the Volvo China Open. However, on the 30th anniversary of the event they doubled their tally to showcase the country’s increasing ability.

Wu Ashun carded the lowest round on Sunday with a brilliant 65 to surge through the field and set the clubhouse target of 14-under, which no one could match at Enhance Anting Golf Club.

Wu, now aged 39, lost his full playing rights on the DP World Tour after finishing in 115th spot on last year’s Race to Dubai Rankings, one place outside the cut-off for the 2025 season.

With this victory, his fifth on the Tour and second Volvo China Open title, he has now secured his status until the end of the 2027 campaign.

Li Haotong, the overnight leader and highest ranked home player, endured a roller-coaster final round as he mixed three birdies, three dropped shots and a double before boosting his slim chances of a play-off with an eagle two at the 17th.

A bogey at the last meant he had to settle for a tie for fourth at 11-under with Spain’s Eugenio Chacarra and China’s Marty Dou Zecheng, who carded two eagles in his flawless second round 65 on Friday. A former Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) participant, Dou plays on the Korn Ferry Tour, the PGA Tour’s feeder circuit.

Ding Wenyi, who turned pro after winning last year’s AAC, held a share of the lead on the final day after rolling in six birdies during his first 11 holes. But three bogeys in the closing stretch saw him finish tied eighth with Denmark’s Jacob Skov Olesen at nine-under.

Wu said: “Last year was very difficult for me. I got tennis elbow and the last 10 weeks were really, really hard. To miss by one spot was so sad. It’s not like I was 10 or 20 spots away, I lost by one.

“It was unlucky, but I knew I still had a chance to win. I knew I could do it. I just needed to take care of my elbow. We did a lot of treatment, a lot of physio and it has worked. It’s getting better slowly.

“The good thing is I can play right now. I’m very happy to come back on to the DP World Tour.

“I never gave up. I told myself: ‘Nver give up. Don’t give up’. Those dark times, you need to go through and fight them, and I knew we would be back.

“I talked to the media yesterday and I said it felt like home. I was happy to see a lot of Chinese players in the top 10, especially yesterday there were three or four guys who could win the tournament.

“We all had a chance. It’s home and it’s our tournament. I think there will be more chances to see Chinese players on the leaderboard in the coming years.

“The fans will be excited. Everybody who watches and follows it. They are crazy here. When you make a birdie, you get such a big shout and a lot of noise. It was a great feeling. I’m very happy to win this title and make the fans happy, too.”