Major-caliber junior tourney a stepping stone for Chinese talent

With the grit and talent of China's next generation demonstrated on a major-caliber stage, the Rolex Junior Championship, the country's highest-level junior golf tournament, has capped off its 2025 edition in great success.

Cheered on by their major-winning role model Yin Ruoning, China's up-and-coming teen prodigies put their mettle and skills through intense tests during the championships held from Tuesday to Thursday at the Mission Hills Golf Club's World Cup course in Shenzhen, Guangdong province.

As the only super level-1 junior event on the 2025 calendar, the year-ending Rolex Junior Championship attracted future stars from across the country, including a strong field of National Junior Team players, to compete in a format of three-round stroke play in two age categories — the Group A (aged 16-18) and Group B (aged 13-15) — at the renowned course designed by golf legend Jack Nicklaus.

After both signing off the final round on Thursday with a total 12-under-par 204, national junior team members Gu Liangliang and Wang Xinyu captured the Boys' and Girls' Group A titles respectively.

Xu Chengrui mounted an impressive final-round comeback to capture the Boys' Group B crown, finishing at 210, while Lin Yuqian, also a national junior team selectee, secured a commanding six-shot victory to capture the Girls' Group B title.

The four winners, plus the boys' and girls' Group A runners-up, also earned six exemption spots into the 2026 Rolex Tournament of Champions, the American Junior Golf Association's (AJGA) flagship event.

Facing a surging opponent in Wang Haoyi, who opened his Thursday actions with five consecutive birdies, Gu stepped up his game as well, completing four birdies in a row beginning at hole 11, and clinched the win with a mere one-shot edge to beat Wang in a back-and-forth battle in Boys' Group A.

"Haoyi is a very strong competitor, and his run of five birdies definitely put a lot of pressure on me," Gu said after his close win. "However, I didn't want to give up. I still wanted to give it everything I had."

"Over the past two years, I've finished just short of the title several times, so it means a lot to finally break through and win a super level-1 event like this. I also want to tell all junior players that perseverance truly pays off," the 16-year-old Jiangsu native said.

The Girls' Group A final round saw Wang deliver another highly efficient performance, following her strong first two rounds, to card 68 with seven birdies and no bogeys — securing a flawless wire-to-wire victory with a three-round total of 204.

"Honestly, my front nine wasn't at my best today," Wang said. "Starting with the lead did make me a little nervous, but holing an eight-yard birdie putt on the 17th hole before the turn helped me regain my confidence and I was able to settle back into my rhythm quickly."

"I'm really happy to secure the victory in the final event of my season, and I sincerely appreciate the organizers for providing such a valuable opportunity for junior players."

All the winners have each earned 1,250 junior ranking points, 1.25 times the offering at a standard tier-1 event.

The commanding performances of young golfers, particularly members of the national junior team, have highlighted their maturing game and toughened mentality, underscoring the promising future of Chinese golf.

China's LPGA star and Rolex brand ambassador Yin, who was invited to share her thoughts with her younger fellows at the tournament's award ceremony, credited the Rolex Junior Championship for helping build a valuable stepping stone for young talents to grow.

"From a world-class course to major-championship-level operational execution, the 2025 Rolex Junior Championship gives young players the chance to experience the highest standards of golf from an early age," Yin, who won her career first major title at the 2023 KPMG Women's PGA Championship, said.

"It is a valuable opportunity to build a champion's mindset, compete alongside top players from China and around the world, and build true confidence in high-pressure environments," Yin said.

He Fengxiang, chairman of China Golf Association, emphasized in his closing remarks during the ceremony that the championship was not only a test of junior competitive standards, but also a critical component of the Chinese national junior team development pathway.