[Haikou, China – 23rd April 2019] Fan Shuang-Shuang of China fired a tournament-low round of 69 to win the 12th edition of the Jack Nicklaus Junior Championship at the Mission Hills Haikou resort on Hainan Island. 

14-year-old Fan followed scores of 76 and 70 with a stunning three-under-par final round to finish on 215, five ahead of compatriot Zhang Zheng-Xian who claimed the overall boys’ title aged only 12 years old.

Overnight leader Chang Hsin-Chiao of Chinese Taipei, recent winner of the Faldo Series Asia Grand Final in Vietnam, struggled to a 77 on the final day to finish tied third on 221 alongside China’s Zheng Ya-Xuan.

In a field of more than 90 players from seven different countries, several international players impressed.  Chen Mou-Zheng of Hong Kong claimed the mixed 8-9 age group ahead of compatriot Zhou Jia-Run while more Hong Kong players, Cyril Leung Sze-Chau, Shi Bo-Xian and Wong Lok-Yin were also among the prizes.  The Thailand duo of Aelisa Twiltermsup and Pimpakorn Panyadilok finished second and third in the Girls’ 10-12 category.

Hosted by the Hainan Golf Association, stakes were high at Mission Hills Haikou with the leading players invited to compete in the Nicklaus Junior Championship, played in the USA this summer at one of the beautiful courses in Palm Beach County, Florida.  Nicklaus, the record 18-time major champion and his wife Barbara have been residents of Palm Beach County for over 50 years and are big supporters of junior golf in the area.

With R&A and China Golf Association ranking points on offer and three of China’s top-ten juniors in the field, the 2019 Mission Hills Jack Nicklaus Junior Championship on the Brian Curley-designed Sandbelt Trails Course was another important date in the Group’s award-winning junior golf calendar, sponsored by EFG Bank.

The Mission Hills Junior Golf Program provides access to the sport for tens of thousands of juniors each year, from beginners to elite amateurs, through junior tournaments, coaching, camps and clinics, school classes, free access for juniors to three of its courses and free entry into the Dr David Chu Golf Museum at Mission Hills, the first in China.

Founded in 1992, the Mission Hills Group has invested more than six million US dollars into its Junior Golf Program; and more than 100,000 competitive rounds have been played at Mission Hills.  It was voted Best Youth Development Programme in Asia in 2018 and EFG Bank was recently unveiled as an Official Partner.

Leading final scores:  Boys’ 13-18: 222 – Li Jia-Kun (CHN) 76 73 73; 224 – Xiang Hong (CHN) 76 77 71; 225 – Wu Dian Chao (CHN) 79 73 73.  Girls’ 13-18: 215 – Fan Shuang-Shuang (CHN) 76 70 69; 221 – Chang Hsin-Chiao (TPE) 73 71 77; 233 – Wong Lok-Yin (HKG) 77 80 76.  Boys’ 10-12: 220 – Zhang Zheng-Xian (CHN) 73 77 70; 237 – Cyril Leung Sze-Chau (HKG) 81 81 75; 240 – Shi Bo-Xian (HKG) 83 82 75.  Girls’ 10-12: 221 – Zheng Ya-Xuan (CHN) 73 73 75; 233 – Aelisa Twiltermsup (THA) 82 77 74; 256 – Pimpakorn Panyadilok (THA) 85 84 87.  Mixed 8-9: 237 – Chen Mou-Zheng (HKG) 78 84 75; 241 – Zhou Jia-Run (HKG) 80 79 82; 273 – Zheng Jia-Xu (CHN) 90 90 93.

Photo 1 – Fan Shuang-Shuang (left) and Zhang Zheng-Xian of China celebrate victory in the 12th edition of the Jack Nicklaus Junior Championship at Mission Hills Haikou resort in Hainan, China.

Photo 2 – Winners and officials pose for a group photo following the 12th edition of the Jack Nicklaus Junior Championship at Mission Hills Haikou resort in Hainan, China.