Latest news with #Xingtong
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Historic run to US Girls' Junior Championship instils confidence in S'pore golfer Chen Xingtong
Chen Xingtong made history by becoming the first Singaporean golfer to reach the US Girls' Junior Championship final. SINGAPORE – A historic run to the final of the United States Girls' Junior Championship has renewed Singaporean golfer Chen Xingtong's belief in her game. While the 16-year-old missed out on the title after a 2 and 1 defeat by Canada's Aphrodite Deng in the final in Georgia on July 19, she walked away with something just as valuable: confidence. Looking back on her week, she said: 'I think it definitely gave me a lot more confidence because previously I had a lot of doubts about myself, just would I be able to make it even just as an amateur golfer, trying to get into college. 'But I think after this week, I definitely have a lot more confidence and just trust my game a bit more.' Even before the final, the world No. 291 amateur had made history as the first Singaporean to reach the championship match of the prestigious junior event, which has served as a springboard for many of the world's top players, including Australia's world No. 5 Minjee Lee, a triple Major champion. Xingtong entered matchplay as the fifth seed after carding a five-under 137 over two rounds of strokeplay, finishing in a four-way tie for second, just one stroke behind American leader Grace Carter. Compatriot Guo Junxi also advanced, placing joint-45th with a four-over 146, but bowed out in the round of 64 after a 6 and 5 loss to Canada's Clairey Lin. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. 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Asked to describe her run in one word, the Singapore Sports School student said: 'It could be 'amazing' because honestly, I never expected to make it this far. But I think it should be 'unexpected'. 'I never really dared to believe I could get this far in this championship . Just this opportunity to be here, I'm so grateful, just very proud to be here.' In the 36-hole final held at the Atlanta Athletic Club's Riverside Course in Johns Creek, Aphrodite struck first, opening with a birdie, but Xingtong responded quickly, winning the second and fourth holes to briefly go 1 up. But Aphrodite, who had won the Junior Invitational and the Mizuho Americas Open earlier in 2025, took holes No. 6, 7 and 10, before back-to-back birdies on the 12th and 13th saw her lead by four, an advantage she maintained till the halfway mark. After a 90-minute lunch break, Xingtong registered birdies on the 19th and 23rd holes to reduce Aphrodite's lead to two, but the 36th-ranked amateur gave herself some breathing space with another birdie on the par-three 24th. But Xingtong kept the pressure on, winning the 26th, though a missed short putt saw her bogey the par-four 27th, allowing Aphrodite to regain a 3-up cushion, before a birdie on the 28th restored her four-hole advantage. Still, the Singaporean refused to fade as she won the 30th, 32nd and 34th holes to bring the match to the par-three 35th, where Aphrodite held her nerve to sink a four-foot par putt and become the tournament's first Canadian champion. Xingtong said: 'Definitely saw a lot of positives out there. Just being able to keep my focus and my spirit throughout these 35 holes, and just not giving up, even though I was like four down.' The final capped an eye-opening month in the US for Xingtong. After winning her qualifier in Missouri in mid-June, she placed fifth at an American Junior Golf Association event and came in tied-13th at the Junior World Championships. She said: 'I love it. The environment here, just the general community around golf is very different from Singapore because we don't have much of a golfing culture, so to speak. 'Compared to some of the other places, I think it's just the amount of people that play golf, really. It's just such a big part of the culture.' While she earned an exemption into the Aug 4-10 US Women's Amateur Championship as a finalist on July 19, she will not be competing owing to scheduling conflicts. Still, she returns with plenty to build on. Xingtong said: 'There were a lot of positives and I've been able to figure out some of my weaknesses as well.' Identifying her putting and short game as areas to improve on, she added: 'It's really showed that I have what it takes as long as I just work a little bit harder.' Singapore Golf Association chief executive Joshua Ho said it has been a privilege to witness watch Xingtong's growth under the guidance of the national coaches and her support team since she was identified as a talent at the age of 11. He said: 'It's exciting to see her excel on a global stage, and we are very proud of her determination and fighting spirit especially in the final. 'To have Xingtong become the first Singaporean to reach the final of such a prestigious event is a monumental achievement, not only for her but also for Singapore golf. We look forward to continue supporting her as she chases her golfing dreams.'
Straits Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Historic run to US Girls' Junior Championship instills confidence in S'pore golfer Chen Xingtong
Chen Xingtong made history by becoming the first Singaporean golfer to reach the US Girls' Junior Championship final. SINGAPORE – A historic run to the final of the US Girls' Junior Championship has renewed Singaporean golfer Chen Xingtong's belief in her game. While the 16-year-old missed out on the title after a 2 and 1 defeat by Canada's Aphrodite Deng in the final in Georgia, on July 19, she walked away with something just as valuable: confidence. Looking back on her week, she said: 'I think it definitely gave me a lot more confidence because previously I had a lot of doubts about myself, just would I be able to make it even just as an amateur golfer, trying to get into college. 'But I think after this week, I definitely have a lot more confidence, and just trust my game a bit more.' Even before the final, the world No. 291 amateur had made history as the first Singaporean to reach the championship match of the prestigious junior event, which has served as a springboard for many of the world's top players, including Australia's world No. 5 Minjee Lee, a triple Major champion. Xingtong entered matchplay as the fifth seed after carding a five-under 137 over two rounds of strokeplay, finishing in a four-way tie for second, just one stroke behind American leader Grace Carter. Compatriot Guo Junxi also advanced, placing joint-45th with a four-over 146, but bowed out in the round of 64 after a 6 and 5 loss to Canada's Clairey Lin. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore 1 in 3 vapes here laced with etomidate; MOH working with MHA to list it as illegal drug: Ong Ye Kung Singapore HSA extends hotline hours, launches new platform to report vaping offences Singapore No unified guidelines? 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'I never really dared to believe I could get this far in this championship . Just this opportunity to be here, I'm so grateful, just very proud to be here.' In the 36-hole final held at the Atlanta Athletic Club's Riverside Course in Johns Creek, Georgia, Aphrodite struck first, opening with a birdie, but Xingtong responded quickly, winning the second and fourth holes to briefly go 1 up. But Aphrodite, who had won the Junior Invitational and the Mizuho Americas Open earlier this year, took holes No. 6, 7 and 10, before back-to-back birdies on the 12th and 13th saw her lead by four, an advantage she maintained till the halfway mark. After a 90-minute lunch break, Xingtong registered birdies on the 19th and 23rd holes to reduce Aphrodite's lead to two, but the 36th-ranked amateur gave herself some breathing space with another birdie on the par-three 24th. But Xingtong kept the pressure on, winning the 26th, though a missed short putt saw her bogey the par-four 27th, allowing Aphrodite to regain a 3-up cushion, before a birdie on the 28th restored her four-hole advantage. Still, the Singaporean refused to fade as she won the 30th, 32nd and 34th holes to bring the match to the par-three 35th, where Aphrodite held her nerve to sink a four-foot par putt and become the tournament's first Canadian champion. Xingtong said: 'Definitely saw a lot of positives out there. Just being able to keep my focus and my spirit throughout these 35 holes, and just not giving up, even though I was like 4-down.' The final capped an eye-opening month in the US for Xingtong. After winning her qualifier in Missouri in mid-June, she placed fifth at an American Junior Golf Association event and came in tied-13th at the Junior World Championships. She said: 'I love it. The environment here, just the general community around golf is very different from Singapore because we don't have much of a golfing culture, so to speak. 'Compared to some of the other places, I think it's just the amount of people that play golf, really. It's just such a big part of the culture.' While she earned an exemption into the Aug 4-10 US Women's Amateur Championship as a finallist this week, she will not be competing owing to scheduling conflicts. Still, she returns with plenty to build on. Xingtong said: 'There were a lot of positives, and I've been able to figure out some of my weaknesses as well.' Identifying her putting and short game as areas to improve on, she added: 'It's really showed that I have what it takes as long as I just work a little bit harder.' Singapore Golf Association chief executive Joshua Ho said it has been a privilege to witness watch Xingtong's growth under the guidance of the national coaches and her support team since she was identified as a talent at the age of 11. He said: 'It's exciting to see her excel on a global stage, and we are very proud of her determination and fighting spirit especially in the final. 'To have Xingtong become the first Singaporean to reach the final of such a prestigious event is a monumental achievement, not only for her but also for Singapore golf. We look forward to continue supporting her as she chases her golfing dreams.'
Straits Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- Straits Times
Chen Xingtong makes US Girls' Junior C'ship final, first S'porean golfer to achieve the feat
Chen Xingtong books her spot in the US Girls' Junior Championship final after upsetting American top seed Grace Carter in the semi-finals. SINGAPORE – Chen Xingtong made history on July 18 by becoming the first Singaporean golfer to reach the final of the US Girls' Junior Championship. The 16-year-old will face Canada's Aphrodite Deng in the 36-hole championship match on July 19, after upsetting American top seed Grace Carter 1 up in the semi-finals. At the Atlanta Athletic Club's Riverside Course in Johns Creek, Georgia, Xingtong had to dig deep against Grace in the semi-finals, as she lost 1-up and 2-up leads. But she reclaimed the lead after parring the par-three 17th, which Grace bogeyed, maintaining the advantage as both golfers birdied No. 18. Meanwhile, Aphrodite, 15, continued her fine form to earn her spot in the final after beating the United States' Rayee Fang 2 and 1 in their semi-final match-up. She is chasing her third major junior victory in 2025, after wins at the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley and the Mizuho Americas Open. Xingtong told the United States Golf Association website: 'It's unbelievable for me. I didn't even dare to imagine it when I came here to play US Girls'. 'I'm just so grateful for this opportunity, to be able to come to the US, it's so far away from Singapore. It's my first time here, so I'm really grateful for this opportunity to play my best.' The teenager booked her berth at the US Girls' Junior Championship after winning a qualifying event in June, joining compatriot Guo Junxi, who had already earned her place through a top-two finish at an earlier competition. In Georgia, Xingtong entered the matchplay round as the fifth seed after finishing two rounds of strokeplay at five-under 137 alongside three others and a stroke behind leader Grace. Junxi also advanced to the matchplay round, placing joint-45th in the strokeplay round with a four-over 146. A 6 and 5 defeat by Canada's Clairey Lin saw Junxi exit the tournament in the round of 64. In the meantime, Xingtong marched to a historic spot in the final with victories over America's Macie Rasmussen (2 up), Australia's Amelia Harris (6 and 4), and the US' Mia Clausen (3 and 2) and Katelyn Kong (4 and 3), before eliminating Grace in the semi-finals. An appearance in the final guarantees both Xingtong and Aphrodite a spot in the Aug 4-10 US Women's Amateur Championship, with the winner also exempt for the 2026 US Women's Open. The first 18 holes of the final will start at 8.15am (8.15pm, Singapore time) on July 19, while the next 18 holes will be contested from 3pm (July 20, 3am, Singapore time) after a lunch break. The US Girls' Junior Championship has been a stepping stone for many of the world's top players, including two-time LPGA champion Rose Zhang, Australian triple Major winner Minjee Lee, as well as former world No. 1 and two-time Major champion Ariya Jutanugarn and South Korea's Olympic gold medallist Park In-bee, who has won seven Majors. This is Xingtong's first appearance at the tournament. The world No. 291 amateur has made strides in her fledgling career, clinching her first international title at the 2023 Selangor Amateur Open. At the 2024 Singapore Open Amateur Championships, she became the youngest player to win the women's title at 15.
Straits Times
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Singaporean golfers Chen Xingtong, Guo Junxi qualify for US Girls' Junior C'ship
Chen Xingtong (left) secured her place at the tournament with an even-par 72 on June 16, while Guo Junxi had booked her place in May. PHOTOS: CHEN FAN, JUNXIGUA/INSTAGRAM SINGAPORE – A promising debut in the United States has boosted national golfer Chen Xingtong's confidence ahead of the US Girls' Junior Championship, which will take place from July 14 to 19. The 16-year-old secured her place at the tournament with an even-par 72 at a one-day qualifier at Crescent Farms Golf Club in Missouri on June 16. She topped a 20-player field to claim the only spot available, mixing three birdies with three bogeys to finish one shot ahead of Americans Lisa Zhang and Eva Brown. Joining her at the Atlanta Athletic Club's Riverside Course in Johns Creek, Georgia, will be junior national squad player Guo Junxi. The 15-year-old had booked her place in May through another qualifier in Florida, where she is based, clinching the second of two available berths with a birdie in a play-off against American Charlotte Cantonis and Brazil's Maria Antonia Gaviao. The trio were tied at one-over 71 in regulation play. Xingtong was thrilled to have qualified, noting that the one-day format with just one spot on offer made it challenging. Unlike typical three- or four-day tournaments where there is time to recover from mistakes, she felt that this left little margin for error and acknowledged that luck likely played a part in her success. The Singapore Sports School student added: 'It's my first time in the US, so I'm glad to have started out strong and hopefully will continue to do well here. 'I'm really looking forward to competing as this is a good opportunity to measure myself against the world's best in my age group, as well as seeing my friends who have also qualified for the tournament.' It is not the first time that she will be playing with some of the world's best; she has also played in the last two editions of the HSBC Women's World Championship after winning the national qualifying tournaments in 2024 and 2025. The 274th-ranked amateur has had a month to remember. Just a fortnight ago, she won the Singapore Junior Golf Championship with a five-under 211 giving her a six-shot win over Thailand's Kanyarak Pongpithanon. Xingtong and Junxi will be following in the footsteps of fellow Singaporean Jaymie Ng, who played in the 2022 edition of the US Girls' Junior Championship. Pleased with the teenage duo's performances in the US, national coach Murray Smit said: 'It is very significant that both Junxi and Xingtong have qualified for the US Girls' Junior. 'From what I understand it is the first time that Singapore have had two players qualify, which is really exciting. 'The qualifiers are traditionally really tough to get through. So for both of them to get through that route, shows that they are both ready for the incredible opportunity to compete with many of the best female juniors in the world.' The US Girls' Junior Championship is one of 15 US national golf competitions organised by the United States Golf Association. It is open to amateur girls under the age of 19 on the last day of the competition and have a USGA handicap index of 9.4 or less. It consists of two days of stroke play, with the leading 64 competitors then playing a match-play competition to decide the champion. Notable past winners include two-time LPGA champion Rose Zhang, Australian double Major winner Minjee Lee, as well as former world No. 1s Ariya Jutanugarn, also a two-time Major champion, and South Korea's Olympic gold medallist Park In-bee, who has won seven Majors. Smit believes the competition will be beneficial for the duo's development, saying: 'This is going to be a wonderful experience for both players. USGA events are always extremely well-organised but the competition is as strong as it gets and the courses are always a stern test. 'It will give them a great idea as to how they compare with the best Under-19s in the world and will pinpoint the areas in their respective games that need improvement for the years ahead.' Kimberly Kwek joined The Straits Times in 2019 as a sports journalist and has since covered a wide array of sports, including golf and sailing. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
