Chinese teen sensation Wenyi Ding will make his professional debut when he tees it up in the Hangzhou Open this week, after enjoying a stellar amateur career which has seen him finish atop the Global Amateur Pathway Ranking.
Launched by the DP World Tour, The R&A and the PGA TOUR in June, the Global Amateur Pathway – powered by the World Amateur Golf Ranking® (WAGR®) - is a pathway for non-collegiate amateur players to the DP World Tour and partner Tours around the world.
Ding, who will turn 20 next month, captured one of amateur golf’s most prestigious tournaments when he won the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in Japan a fortnight ago.
That victory also earned him exemptions to the Masters Tournament and The 2025 Open Championship. However, after a week of sleepless nights, Ding is ready to give up his amateur status and embark on his professional journey with the DP World Tour.
“It was a hard choice,” he said. “I was struggling to make that decision after winning the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship. But after consulting my family, I believe this will be the right decision.
“With the Global Amateur Pathway, it has also been really good for non-collegiate players like me to make that decision and earn their professional tour card if they play well.
“There are a lot of talented players on the DP World Tour and it’s good I have the chance to compete against the best players in the world now."
The young Chinese has the chance to prove his worth on the Challenge Tour this week and is looking forward to the challenge, with his father on his bag at the West Lake International Golf and Country Club.
“It’s going to be a proud moment for me and my dad as I compete in my first event as a professional,” he added. “He has helped me a lot and has been my pillar of support all these years.
“While I’m really excited to be playing my first professional tournament at home, I also want to make it feel as normal as possible and try not to put too much pressure on myself.”
Ding is part of a strong field in Hangzhou that includes five-time DP World Tour winner Alexander Levy and Road to Mallorca Number Three Hamish Brown.
The opening round of the Hangzhou Open gets under way at 6:30am local time with Ding teeing off alongside Brown from Denmark and Englishman Brandon Robinson Thompson at 11:30am.
