Golfers Back In Action!

2020 Singapore Junior Development Tour, SGA Junior Golf Challenge Series, EFG Singapore Junior Masters

Secondary 1 student-athlete Denise Ng Wan Xuan returned to competitive golf action with stellar results at the SGA Junior Golf Challenge Series Leg 1 Girls Division 1 event on 16 November 2020. Her gross score of 2-under 34 strokes in the 9-hole event was the lowest gross score of the U18 tournament, earning her the top spot in the event. This is also the Junior Squad member’s first title of the year after having last competed at the 2019 Pondok Indah International Junior Golf Championship 11 months prior.

“Due to the pandemic, I was not sure when would be the next competition. But that did not stop me to be competition-ready. Since the circuit breaker, I have been working on my fitness, improving my cardio by running and having strength and conditioning. When I knew about this competition, I started preparing for it right after my end-of-year examinations. I began doing more 9-hole and 18-hole practice rounds. I also put in daily practices at the driving range, chipping and putting at the practice greens. I was glad that I was able to pull off a strong finish and achieve my new personal best over nine holes,” shared Denise, a former Rulang Primary School pupil. Denise had also competed in the Singapore Junior Development Tour, Girls 9-holes challenge on 26 November where she finished in 8th place with a score of 41 strokes.

Over at Laguna National’s Masters Course where a heated battle of golf play took place from 30 November to 2 December, Brandon Han Zhen Guang (DBS Year 2) and Inez Ng Xin Yi (IBDP Year 6) did the school just as proud at the EFG Singapore Junior Masters. Both student-athletes came in second at the boys’ and girls’ Open category with scores of 74-73-70 and 78-76-69 respectively.

Brandon, who was just one stroke short from an Irish golfer said, “This was my first tournament after circuit breaker, and I was really looking forward to competing again. I was disappointed to come up just short, but it reminded me that the unpredictable exhilaration that golf brings is why I love the sport so much. My form may not be the best heading into the tournament, but I just had to work with whatever I had and work towards becoming a better version of myself as the rounds progressed.”

Two other IBDP student-athletes – Eng Wei Jin and Shmuwel Soh Jian Wei – and Denise, had also finished off the event with commendable results.

The tournament saw the participation of 73 golfers who were locally-based juniors representing China, Malaysia, India, United States, United Kingdom, Germany, South Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore, competing in the Open (19 years under) and Junior (14 years under) divisions. The 54-hole strokeplay tournament is the only World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) event this year where players could earn points to up their ranking. This will provide junior golfers the opportunity to test themselves and gain access to major junior and amateur tournaments such as the 2021 China Amateur Open.

RESULTS

SGA Junior Golf Challenge Series, 1st Leg – 16 November 2020

Division 1 Girls

1st – Denise Ng Wan Xuan (34 strokes)

Singapore Junior Development Tour, Girls 9-Holes Challenge – 26 November 2020

Division 1 (16 and Under)

8th – Denise Ng Wan Xuan (41 strokes)

EFG Singapore Junior Masters – 30 November to 2 December 2020

Boys Open

2nd – Brandon Han Zhen Guang (217 strokes)

10th – Eng Wei Jin (237 strokes)

20th – Shmuwel Soh Jian Wei (246 strokes)

Girls Open

2nd – Inez Ng Xin Yi (223 strokes)

16th – Denise Ng Wan Xuan (263 strokes)