Hangzhou Golf Open kicks off with first hole-in-one in tournament history

On October 17, the 2024 Hangzhou Golf Open kicked off its first round in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. After an intense 18-hole competition, Irish golfer Conor Purcell emerged as the leader with an impressive score of 63, finishing eight strokes under par. Notably, 20-year-old Chinese player Tong Yang made history by achieving the first hole-in-one at the Hangzhou Golf Open on the 198-yard third hole, marking the third hole-in-one in this season’s Challenge Tour.

In the opening round, Conor Purcell carded eight birdies and maintained a clean scorecard without any bogeys, putting him one stroke ahead of Sweden’s Mikael Lindberg and Italy’s Gregorio De Leo. Chinese rookie Ding Wenyi, who turned professional just this week, shot a 66 and is tied for eighth place alongside fellow locals Jin Zihao and Wang Zi, as well as three international players.

“I’m really happy with my score of -8 today,” Conor Purcell shared after his round. “I didn’t perform my best last week in Hainan, but today I hit the ball well off the tee. It’s crucial here to stay on the fairway; otherwise, reaching the greens can be a challenge. My putting was solid today as well, so I’m satisfied with my performance.”

The Hangzhou Golf Open is one of the final two events of the Challenge Tour season. Currently ranked 12th on the ‘Mallorca Road’, Conor Purcell could secure his place in next year’s European Tour with a victory in Hangzhou.

Ding Wenyi made his professional debut at this event, teeing off on hole one alongside Denmark’s double Challenge Tour champion Jamieson Brown and Scotland Challenge champion Brandon Robinson Thompson. He finished his first round with six birdies and one bogey, scoring 66.

“I’ve played in many professional events before, so I didn’t feel too nervous,” Ding said. “While my game wasn’t perfect, I felt I played quite well today.”

Jin Zihao, currently leading the Maotai 1935 China Tour money list, also posted a score of 66. Although he started slowly on the back nine, incurring two bogeys in the first three holes, he rebounded strongly, creating numerous birdie opportunities and successfully making seven birdies over his final 15 holes.

Today, 120 players from around the world will continue their competition at Hangzhou West Lake Golf Club. After 36 holes, the top 60 players (including ties) will advance to the weekend’s final rounds.