U.S. Junior: Wenyi Ding becomes first Chinese male USGA champion
7/31/2022 | by AmateurGolf.com Staff
see also: View results for U.S. Junior Amateur, Saucon Valley Country Club - Grace Course
Taking an 8-up lead with eight to play, Ding survives an epic comeback by Caleb Surratt as Bandon Dunes doesn't disappoint
An epic comeback by Caleb Surratt came to halt on the famous 16th hole at Bandon Dunes, when his birdie putt slid by, allowing Wenyi Ding to two-putt for a 3-and-2 victory. The margin of victory sounds pretty routine, but it was anything but.
It was an emotional moment for champion Wenyi Ding, who established an 8-up dormie lead after 28 holes, but was only 3-up after 33 holes. Wing got the match to that seemingly insurmountable point by playing bogey-free golf from the first tee shot through the 10th hole of their second 18, and most people likely thought the match would end at No. 11 or 12.
But a wayward Wing drive led to a penalty and loss of hole at No. 11, and Surratt's unlikely comeback continued with a birdie putt on the par-3 12th, and a gorgeous second shot to 20-feet, leading to another birdie at No. 13.
Still, all Ding needed was a single tied hole to be crowned champion. But not so fast.
With both players in close for birdie on No. 14, Ding missed, and Surratt made. Then Surratt hit his best shot of the day -- especially under the circumstances -- at the amazingly difficult 15th hole, a par-3 that requires a perfect shot to find any part of the green. At just 20-feet from the back-left hole location, Surratt would watch Ding miss his tee shot left, then look briefly like any of the tens of thousands of "everyman" and woman golfers who routinely struggle chipping around the hole's extreme plateau green complex.
Despite the long odds of even getting to the 16th hole, Surratt finally gave way to the pressure when his chip from pin high on the driveable par-4 bounced left instead of the way he was trying to get it to go, right down a slope and around the bunker that blocked his way to the hole. He might have tried a more direct line to the hole, but under the pressure of the moment Surratt went with the shot he saw -- it just didn't work out the way he wanted.
"There are definitely some shots I would like to have back," said Surratt after the round. "But hopefully, it won't be my last USGA final."
Ding becomes the first male golfer from the People's Republic of China to win a USGA championship. (Lei Ye (2019 U.S. Women's Amateur) and Fumei Alice Jo (2014 U.S. Public Links) have done so on the women's side.)
Moved to tears after two-putting for the win, he admitted in an interview that he became very nervous starting at the 13th hole. And who wouldn't be? With so much on the line, and a charging opponent, the 17-year-old kept grinding until the trophy, and a spot in the 2023 U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club, was his.Championship emotion. #USJuniorAm pic.twitter.com/8xWPXm2ssl
— USGA (@USGA) July 31, 2022
Results: U.S. Junior Amateur
| Place | Player | Location | Pts | Scores |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | , China | 700 | ||
| Runner-up | Indian Trail, NC | 500 | ||
| Semifinals | Fullerton, CA | 400 | ||
| Semifinals | Huntsville, AL | 400 | ||
| Quarterfinals | Encinitas, CA | 300 |
About the U.S. Junior Amateur
While it is not the oldest competition, the U.S. Junior Amateur is considered the premier junior competition, having been around since 1948. The event is open to male golfers who have not reached their 19th birthday prior to the close of competition ...
Most Popular Articles
2025 PGA TOUR Q-School Guide: Sites, Scores, and Who Advanced
Dec 5, 2025Second Stage is complete and Final Stage awaits at Sawgrass — follow every Q-School leaderboard and the players still chasing
2025 LPGA TOUR Q-Series: Final Qualifying Stage FINAL SCORING
Dec 8, 2025Helen Briem earns medalist honors, 31 players headed to the LPGA next year
Australian Open at Royal Melbourne: Preview, amateur bios, and how to watch
Nov 30, 2025Rory McIlroy headlines one of the championship's top fields in years - at least four amateurs will have their chance at glory
Luke Ringkamp Cruises to Rolex Tournament of Champions Title at TPC San Antonio
Nov 26, 2025One week after committing to Pepperdine, Luke Ringkamp won the Rolex Tournament of Champions by nine shots.
Inside Gil Hanse’s Restoration of Baltusrol’s Upper Course: A Return to Tillinghast’s
Dec 11, 2025Renowned architect Gil Hanse reveals how he brought Baltusrol’s Upper Course back to life by honoring A.W. Tillinghast’s original