Xiamen, China: Wu Chen-wei, winner of the 2024 Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific (WAAP), is in mainland China this week for the first time as a pro as the CLPG Tour regulars take on their Taiwan LPGA Tour counterparts at The Zhu Chun Straits Cup Women’s Open.
With 11 players from Chinese-Taipei in the field for the RMB500,000 ‘friendship’ event starting tomorrow at Xiamen Orient Golf and Country Club in Fujian Province, the appearance of the 20-year-old marks the first time a champion from the region’s most prestigious amateur tournament has appeared in a China LPGA solo-sanctioned event.
Wu, a student at the National Taiwan University of Sports, won the WAAP in February last year in record fashion when she went wire-to-wire for a two-stroke victory at Siam Country Club with a score of 18-under 270.
The victory in Thailand earned Wu entry into three of the women’s Majors. Despite missing the cut each time, she memorably made a hole-in-one at the Evian Championship.
Wu turned pro at the end of 2024 and is currently 477th in the Rolex World Rankings. She arrived in Xiamen still seeking her first win as a pro.
“Not much has changed for me after turning professional. My technique and mindset are solid. The only difference is that I now handle all my scheduling myself. This is my first time competing on the China LPGA Tour and my first tournament in mainland China in many years. I think the last time I played here was before the pandemic,” said Wu who hails from Tainan City on the southwest coast.
Wu said the experience of competing in three Majors acted as a reality check.
She said: “I saw the world’s top players up close. Their skills were terrifying. Each had their own standout strengths, whether it was precision or incredible distance. Watching them inspired my goal this year; to qualify for the Japan LPGA Tour. Many of our seniors have found success in Japan and I’d like to follow in their footsteps. After gaining some experience there, I hope to eventually move on to the US.
“This week, I’m not sure what to expect but I’ll give it my all and hope to see my name on the leaderboard – maybe even in contention for the title.”
What the field this week will face is a very different Xiamen Orient layout from what they are accustomed to. The club has hosted 23 CLPG Tour events over the past two decades, but never has it staged a tournament in May.
Unlike most of the tournaments it has hosted, usually in winter when the grass is dormant, Xiamen in May is hot and humid with the flora and fauna at the par-72, 6,421-yard layout in full bloom. Rain is in the forecast for the opening round, turning to sunshine on the weekend.
“The course is definitely longer than during last year’s Women’s China Open. I noticed that some tees have been moved back,” said Tianjin pro Pang Runzhi following her practice round. “This season is perfect for grass growth. Last year, the rough was still quite thin, but now it’s much thicker, which might not be so easy to handle.”
The 18-year-old is coming off a banner season as a rookie pro when she won the Singapore Ladies Masters and finished second on the CLPG Order of Merit, behind Ji Yuai. This year, however, she has struggled with two missed cuts and no top-10 finishes.
“At the start of the year, my ball-striking wasn’t great. But I feel like I’m getting better and better. You can see that in my recent scores. I believe I’ll soon reach my peak form,” she said.
The Straits Cup Women’s Open is hosted by the China Golf Association and sanctioned by the CLPGA. Zhu Chun Liquor is the tournament sponsor.
