Hotshot Lin eyes Clearwater conquest
Chinese sensation Lin Yuxin, 17, will compete in this week’s Clearwater Bay Open days after his life-changing victory in the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) in New Zealand.
Lin, who turned 17 on Oct 12, was the top amateur at last year’s Clearwater Bay Open but returns to Hong Kong a far more experienced and accomplished player after a year in which he has shone in several pro events and captured one of the biggest titles in amateur golf.
The winner of the AAC has always earned a spot in the Masters the following year, but this year, for the first time, the champion also secured a spot in the British Open, which will be held at Carnoustie in 2018.
“It was an amazing feeling, probably the best feeling I’ve ever had. I’m just really excited that I made it to the Masters and the Open. I was a little speechless but just really excited,” said Lin, one of four Chinese players in the top five at Royal Wellington Golf Club.
“I’m quite confident going to Clearwater Bay, and I hope I have another good week in Hong Kong. I’ll definitely be more confident after the win in New Zealand. I’ve built up a lot of confidence over the last three weeks.”
Lin was only 16 when he made the cut at the European Tour’s Shenzhen International in April, and this month he finished seventh in the European Challenge Tour’s Hainan Open before sinking an albatross on his 72nd hole at the Asian Tour’s Macao Open last month.
On Sunday in New Zealand, Lin led by one going into the final round of the AAC and was level with compatriot Andy Zhang with two holes to play.
Lin then drove the green on the 361-yard, par-4 17th and eagled the par-5 18th to close with a 6-under 65 and secure a three-stroke victory over Zhang.
Last month, he made his Japan Golf Tour debut, and later this month he will play in the Australian Open for the second time.
In November 2016, Lin tied for 59th in the inaugural Clearwater Bay Open after rounds of 78, 65, 74 and 68. He believes he can improve on that this week.
“It’s a great golf course with beautiful views, but there are a couple of tough holes with tricky tee shots; especially 15 and 18 are pretty tough when they’re into the wind,” he said.
“Last year I had a couple of bad holes in the first round. I had a triple bogey on 15 when I hit a pretty good tee shot, but the ball hit a sprinkler and I couldn’t find it.
“My long game definitely helps at Clearwater Bay, but you still need to have a good short game and make your putts.”
China’s Jin Cheng, who finished fifth at this year’s AAC, is also in the field two years after winning the AAC at Clearwater Bay in 2015.
The 19-year-old remains the only amateur to have won a PGA Tour-China event, taking the 2014 Nine Dragons Open outside Shanghai.
Australia’s Daniel Nisbet will defend his title while other PGA Tour-China winners include two-time champions Kim Tae-woo of South Korea and Gunn Charoenkul of Thailand, and Canadians Justin Shin and Eugene Wong.