CLPGA proud to make major impact

Now counting two major champions among its graduates, the China Ladies Professional Golf Association remains committed to providing more young talents with an accessible platform to reach the very top of the women's game.

Last month, Yin Ruoning followed in the footsteps of another former CLPGA Tour star, Feng Shanshan, to claim her maiden major at the Women's PGA Championship in the United States. Eleven years apart, both those victories owe a lot to the tests offered by the CLPGA Tour, which staged the fifth leg of its 2023 season in Singapore over the weekend.

Li Hong, chief executive officer of the CLPGA Tour, believes the circuit's talent pool will continue to grow, producing a bigger and stronger contingent of Chinese players ready to take on the world's best.

"The CLPGA is an important platform for young Chinese prospects to realize their dreams. It helps young hopefuls from China bridge the gap to the top level of the women's game," Li said during the inaugural Singapore Ladies Masters, the first CLPGA event staged outside the Chinese mainland since 2019.

"After developing their games for a few years on the CLPGA Tour, young players can get a better understanding of the gap to the world's best and will be further motivated to join the elite ranks.

"We still don't have enough events on the tour at the moment. We will continue to steadily grow the tour, adding more events and with higher prize money on offer so that we can produce more major winners like Yin," she added.

Emulating the now-retired Feng's feat at the same tournament in 2012, Yin became the second women's major winner from the Chinese mainland at the Women's PGA Championship in New Jersey on June 25. Yin carded a final-round 67 for an eight-under total of 276 to win the coveted trophy as well as the $1.5 million winner's check.

It was the 20-year-old Shanghai native's second win on the top-flight LPGA Tour after she claimed her first victory in April at the LA Open.

At just 17, Yin turned pro on the CLPGA Tour and instantly took the circuit by storm, winning all three of her opening professional events in 2020 to make a stunning transition from amateur to pro never before seen in China.

Inspired by Yin's success and facilitated by the home circuit, China's emerging talents are raring to swing for success of their own.

"I really admire her a lot. I was still playing with her two or three years ago and now she's already an LPGA Tour event winner and a major champion. She has set a great example," said 17-year-old amateur An Tong.

"I grew up with Yin and played alongside her. Watching her win the major was inspirational for us. Her accomplishment will definitely encourage us to believe in ourselves and try to do the same," said young pro Zhang Jingwen.