July 5: Chen Xingtong erased the heartbreak of missing out on winning the Singapore Open Amateur Championship last year by securing a wire-to-wire victory to become the youngest player to lift the 76th edition of the nation’s elite amateur championship on Friday.
The 15-year-old was forced to miss last year’s tournament due to illness but returned with a vengeance by putting up a winning performance that befits her status as one of Singapore’s rising stars.
“This win is incredibly special to me because I missed out on competing last year as I fell sick,” said Chen, who was promoted to the SGA national squad in 2024.
Despite enjoying an overnight four-shot advantage with her previous rounds of 67,74 and 75, the Singapore Sports School student admitted she still felt the nerves as she stepped up to the tee in the morning.
She traded four birdies and a bogey in her opening five holes before dropping another two shots on holes eight and nine at the Aranda course, Orchid Country Club. Chen birdied holes 10 and 11 at the Dendro course after making the turn in 35. But endured a nervy finish after spoiling her card with three bogeys and a double-bogey in her last six holes.
“I was definitely nervous in the first few holes. But after getting the birdies to extend my lead, I calmed down. There are a few holes, especially those last few ones, which I thought I could have done better but it was good to handle that pressure and seal this win,” said Chen.
Chen will turn her attention to next week’s South East Asian Amateur Golf Team Championship where she will compete in the Kartini Cup with Thailand as the defending champion.
“I’m very excited about competing in the Kartini Cup next week. We had a good preparation last week as we had a training camp there (Seletar Country Club) and everyone is looking forward to doing well on home soil,” said Chen.
Enrique Dimayuga, meanwhile, became the first Filipino in 20 years since Michael Bibat (2004) to win the men’s division of the Singapore Open Amateur Championship.
Dimayuga, who held the lead from the second round, closed with six-under-par 67 for a comfortable four-shot win over Australia’s Max Ford and Thailand’s Thanawin Lee. Singapore’s Brayden Lee signed off with a 67 to finish in fourth place.
“It feels great to be the first Filipino to win this championship. A lot of putts went my way and I hit a lot of nice golf shots too. The golf is in a good place. I was just trying to get the best score that I can and thankfully, that was enough,” said Dimayuga.
Ends.
