Singapore golfer Ryan Ang gets first pro win with Xiamen victory

SINGAPORE – Success can prove a double-edged sword and it was the case for Singapore’s Ryan Ang.

Fresh from the high of finishing as the top local player with a tied-12th placing at the Singapore Open three weeks ago, the professional golfer experienced a dip in motivation.

The Asian Tour tournament at Sentosa Golf Club had been one of the major events on his 2026 calendar, and once it was over, Ang found himself grappling with the question: What next?

On May 17, the 26-year-old gave an emphatic answer by clinching his maiden professional victory at the weather-shortened Straits Cup Xiamen Open.

At the Orient Golf and Country Club in Xiamen, China, Ang closed with an even-par 71 for an eight-under 205 total, securing a one-shot victory over home golfer She Zihan (70) in the China Tour event. England’s Matt Killen (69) was another stroke back in third.

“I didn’t think it would happen so soon, especially after the high of the Singapore Open,” said Ang, who pocketed the winner’s cheque of 170,000 yuan (S$32,000).

“The last few weeks have been a bit tough, I’ve been dealing with a bit of a ‘What next?’ kind of thing because the Singapore Open was my Major of the year.

“I was trying to find something greater to play for this week and pulling it over the line is something special.”

Following the Singapore Open, the world No. 973 took a short holiday in Perth before returning to competition at the May 7-10 Taifong Open in Changhua, Taiwan.

Called up to play in the Asian Tour tournament at the last minute, he finished tied-52nd, and he viewed the Xiamen Open as an opportunity to reset.

While the China tournament was shortened to 54 holes after inclement weather forced the cancellation of the opening round, the delay also gave Ang more time to recover from his busy travel schedule.

The refreshed Singaporean opened with a three-under 68 before firing a fine 66 to take a two-stroke lead over She going into the final round.

Playing alongside South Korea’s Um Jung-hyun and She on the last day, Ang kept the mood light as he chatted with his flight mates, and his strategy simple as he focused on his own game.

He got off to a promising start in the opening stretch with birdies on holes No. 8 and 9, but thought he had lost his advantage after bogeys on the 16th and 17th holes.

Only after his tee shot on the 18th did he learn from his caddie that he still had a one-shot lead, and Ang duly recorded a par on the last hole to seal the win.

He said: “The (congratulatory) messages are slowly flooding in, it’s surreal and it hasn’t really hit me. Even after holing the putt, I didn’t really know what was happening.

“I only felt nerves on that second shot on the 18th where I knew what I had to do, but the rest of the day really felt like a normal golf tournament with friends, so it goes to show how far I’ve come mentally and being proud of the work I’ve done with my coaches and (mental coach Dr Jay-Lee Nair).”

Ang had previously credited Dr Nair for helping him cope with a challenging period in his career.

A rule infraction during a tournament in New South Wales in early 2025 led to a one-year suspension from the PGA Tour of Australasia, besides other sanctions.

The Singaporean, who turned professional in 2024, has since bounced back with encouraging recent performances, including a tied-third finish at the China Tour’s Chongqing Open in April.

The Xiamen breakthrough propelled him to third on the tour’s Order of Merit, giving him an impetus to vie for the overall title, which comes with a DP World Tour card.

Ang’s creditable displays on the Asian Tour have also improved his playing category on the regional circuit, opening up more opportunities for him there.

His achievement has earned praise from Singapore Golf Association high-performance manager (professional squad) Gareth Jones, who attributed the win to Ang’s hard work over the last 12 months.

Jones said: “No doubt he’s improving technically, mentally and tactically and has been gaining confidence not only from a great performance in this year’s Singapore Open after missing the cut last year, but also he has gained confidence from the recent performances of his teammates James Leow and Nicklaus Chiam (who both won on the Asian Development Tour).

“The culture developing in this team is exciting to watch and they are all pushing each other to not only perform, but to be great ambassadors as well.

“Ryan is a big part of that group and this result will no doubt give him confidence to keep going on his current path.”

Chiam and fellow Singaporeans Gregory Foo and Joshua Yap were also in the Xiamen field. Foo (72) finished joint-45th on a 218 total while Chiam and Yap missed the four-over cut.