Guanlan, Guangdong Province, China: Dalian teenager Ren Yijia captured her maiden victory in the pro ranks, beating Canadian amateur Shauna Liu on the first hole of a sudden-death play-off at the GolfJoy Women’s Open.

In just her second start since turning pro following February’s Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific in New Zealand, 16-year-old Ren closed with a three-under 69 to finish deadlocked with 17-year-old Liu (66) on 11-under 205 for 54 holes.

With rain starting to fall just before the play-off, Ren quickly ended the contest, striking a brilliant five-iron approach to within eight feet of the pin on the 403-yard 18th hole on the Olazabal Course at Mission Hills Golf Club Dongguan.

After Liu missed her 20-foot putt from the back of the green, Ren converted her birdie attempt for the win.

In what was the CLPG Tour’s first full-field tournament of the season, Ren claimed her fifth CLPG Tour title and banked a cheque for RMB144,000.

“On the final hole of regulation, I knew I had to make birdie to win. I didn’t get it, but I told myself it was okay. At least I could still go to a play-off,” said Ren who was happy not to dwell on missing the cut at this month’s Blue Bay LPGA in Hainan, her pro debut.

A member of the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation’s victorious Patsy Hankins Trophy team in Abu Dhabi 14 months ago and part of the China line-up that placed fourth in October’s World Amateur Team Championships for the Espirito Santo Trophy, Ren said: “My first win on the China LPGA Tour (as an amateur at the Beijing Women’s Challenge in May 2024) came in a play-off, and now my first victory as a professional also came in a play-off. Sometimes the world works in such wonderful ways. Still, I was nervous during the play-off.”

Thailand’s Onkanok Soisuwan, the first-round leader, finished equal third after a 69, tied with China’s Sui Xiang (68) at five strokes back. Amateur Peng Yanxuan, who was tied for the lead with Ren going into the final round, could not build on her second-round 63 and closed with a two-over 74 to finish equal fifth with rookie pros Xu Ying (70) and Zhou Shiyuan (66), six strokes off the pace. Xu and Zhou were Ren’s team-mates at the Espirito Santo in Singapore five months ago.

After building up a three-shot lead through 11 holes with four birdies and a bogey, Ren had to work to ensure a play-off as Liu, playing in the group ahead of her, caught fire with five birdies in seven holes starting from the ninth. Liu made her last birdie of the day at the par-five 15th to move one stroke ahead, but Ren answered with a birdie of her own at the same hole to draw even with the Canadian. Both players would par the last three holes of regulation.

“I wasn’t watching the leaderboard when I was 11-under. But when I fell to 10-under I felt a little bit nervous, but not too much. In the play-off, my approach shot (from 175 yards) into the green was fantastic,” said Ren.

“My chipping was excellent this week. I have to say that was the key to my win. I managed to chip it really close many times and then made the putts. I’m really happy to receive my first cheque. The money will be deposited into my account, so I’ll decide how to use it – not my mom.”

Ren also receives a Spica 3 Plus portable golf simulator from GolfJoy, a company she shares a ‘special connection’ with. “I started my golf journey on one of its golf video simulators. Through GolfJoy’s qualifying tournament I played in my first national junior event. Not long ago, I became one of its sponsored players and now I’ve won a GolfJoy tournament.”

Liu, the Canadian Junior Girls title holder, impressed in her CLPG Tour debut. She was in and around the top of the leaderboard throughout the tournament and signed off with six birdies in her bogey-free round. The Toronto teenager has committed to play college golf at UCLA next year.

“Overall, I think I played pretty decent (this week). There were some things I could have done better and some putts I probably could have dropped, but that’s just golf,” said Liu who will play in the Chevron Championship next month, the first Major of the LPGA Tour season.

Defending champion Wang Zixuan closed with a 70 for her best round of the week but never challenged, finishing eight strokes back.