Winning Return to Hong Kong for Happy Han

Hong Kong SAR, China: Sophie Han has celebrated her return home with a three-stroke victory at the 2026 Hong Kong Ladies Amateur Open.

The 19-year-old Hong Kong, China star fired six birdies against a solitary bogey in a closing five-under par 67 over the Hong Kong Golf Club’s Old Course.

With a 54-hole total of five-under 211 (71-73-67), Han finished three strokes clear of joint-overnight leader Phyllis Tang (75-69-70). Third place went to Kan Cheuk-kiu on even-par 216 (75-73-68).

Han, who has decided to cut short her time at the University of Oregon, said: “It was my first time in this competition and I won, so it has made me very happy. This month, the training goals with my coach were to try some new things, to make some adjustments, then see what results we could achieve.

“Phyllis played very well. She put a lot of pressure on me. Then I was able to perform well under that pressure. So, I think it was a pretty good result, especially my performance in the final round. I can see that the training direction over the past few months has been correct.

“I think this gives me a lot of confidence preparing for the Asian Games and for Q-school. I’ll review this week’s performance, see what else can be improved and adjusted. Then, with this confidence, I will embark on a new journey, a new competition.”

With the Asian Games in Japan on the horizon, Han decided to leave behind college life in the US to focus on her immediate golfing prospects.

She said: “Actually, my decision to return to Hong Kong from the US wasn’t an impulsive one. It was based on consideration of multiple factors. The Hong Kong Sports Institute recently promoted our athletes to the Tier A programme.

“The support for individual athletes and the programme as a whole is substantial. We'll be able to enjoy comprehensive support at the Sports Institute, including accommodation, lunch, nutritionists, strength and conditioning coaches, and mental trainers – a very complete training system for athletes. So, this is a very attractive place for me.”

Currently 78th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), Han’s career highlights include a victory against the pros at the Reignwood China LPGA Classic in 2024, a second-place finish at last year’s CLPG Tour Women’s Championship and an appearance in the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation’s triumphant team against Europe at last year’s Solheim Cup-style Patsy Hankins Trophy in the United Arab Emirates.

She headed to college to add depth to those experiences.

Han said: “I was in the US for a while. I feel like I’ve experienced and learned a lot. And I also played for the Division I school team. I was in the starting line-up for every single tournament and even won a championship. These experiences fulfilled my initial motivation when I went there.”

Now it’s back to Hong Kong and more opportunities to represent the SAR – and to look at future plans.

She said: “I want to access more resources. I want to see things I’ve never seen before, things I haven’t experienced in China. After learning things in the US, I feel I’m a more mature player now, and more confident. I feel I’m better prepared to make use of my abilities. I think I can try Q-school and see what happens after that. So, returning to Hong Kong has been a very natural choice.”