Wang Xinying plays at the FM Championship 2025 on August 31, 2025, in Massachusetts, the US. Photo: VCG

At the recent FM Championship in Boston, Massachusetts, the US, Wang Xinying held her nerve to deliver a one-shot victory over World No.1 Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand, becoming the third player from the Chinese mainland to win an LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) Tour event, following Feng Shanshan and Yin Ruoning. 

After notching up the victory in her rookie year in the LPGA, Wang said, "I hope this is the first of many, because my goal on the LPGA Tour is to reach my fullest potential and rival the best players in the world."

"It's a wonderful start to my LPGA career; it gave me lots more confidence going into the rest of the season, and I know I can reach higher goals, including major wins," the 26-year-old told the Global Times in an exclusive interview.

In the final round on August 31, Wang demonstrated remarkable composure and technical consistency. She shot a 34 (-2) on the front nine to quickly set the pace. The back nine turned into a tight battle, as Thitikul birdied the 12th hole to pull even, and then moved into sole lead when Wang bogeyed the 15th. 

However, Wang maintained her composure and sank a crucial birdie putt on the 17th to regain the lead, before calmly making par on the 18th to seal the victory.

The China Golf Association (CGA) sent a congratulatory letter to Wang, saying her triumph embodies the Chinese sporting spirit of bringing glory to the nation, persevering with tenacity, and working in unity.

In recent years, athletes' outstanding performances on the international stage have brought honor to Chinese golf and laid a solid foundation for preparations for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games, according to the letter. 

Role models

From the 10-time LPGA Tour winners Feng Shanshan to Yin Ruoning, who won a major golf title in 2023 at the Women's PGA Championship, and Paris 2024 Olympics golf bronze medalist Lin Xiyu, they are role models who inspired Chinese golfers and enthusiasts at large.

Feng and Lin have both won bronze medals in the Olympic Games. They have proved that Chinese players, even though the sport started relatively late in China, can reach the world's highest stages, Wang noted. 

"Many players of my generation are motivated by the role models. As of now, Yin is a major winner, and as an LPGA winner, I believe more young players will find their dreams and goals through seeing our accomplishments," said Wang. 

The CGA stated in the letter that Wang's victory also marks an important breakthrough achieved through the organic integration of family, market, and government under the new national sports system. 

The association said it will continue to refine and improve the National Golf Team Talent Program and support outstanding athletes in striving for new competitive heights. Wang is one of the four young athletes selected in the program. 

The program, launched in April, serves as a strong supplement to the Olympic golf preparation system, representing an innovative effort by the CGA to actively join hands with diverse market forces in building a new national sports system, according to a report by the CGA. 

He Fengxiang, president of the CGA, said that the program will serve and improve the mechanism for developing golf reserve talent. For athletes who have just stepped onto top-tier international professional tours, it will not only "set them on their way," but also "support them along the journey," helping young players grow rapidly. This will strengthen preparations for the 2028 Los Angeles and 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games.

Never say die

Double-majoring in public policy and psychology at Duke University in the US, Wang, also known as Miranda, played a key role in lifting her school to the NCAA Championship in 2019.

"Back in my NCAA days, I got used to facing pressure and multitasking. On the Duke women's golf team, I had some really competitive teammates, and in the classrooms, I had elite students from all over the world. After training and classes, at the end of the day, I had homework to do. The amount of pressure I faced every day was no less than being on a Tour event," she recalled. 

At the beginning of her rookie season, Wang acknowledged that she was lucky to have started her first two tournaments in Asia - playing in the Women's World Championship in Singapore and Blue Bay LPGA in South China's Hainan Province. 

The good finishes (top 30 in Singapore and top 10 at Blue Bay) in these two events helped her build up confidence and momentum for the whole year. 

"One of the biggest challenges for rookies is that the LPGA can be intimidating and make you feel like you don't fit here. Luckily, I overcame it early in my rookie season," she said. 

Wang attributed her victory to a never-say-die attitude.

"There are countless moments in my golf career that made my heart skip a beat. If I had to name one, it would be my birdie at the last hole of the 2024 Epson Tour Championship, which helped me gain my 2025 LPGA status. That one birdie really took years of not giving up," she said. 

After Rory McIlroy won the Masters in April, he shared one message with his daughter: "Never, ever give up on your dreams." 

"The message is simple, but I found it very powerful. His win and the resilience he showed at the Masters summarize the game of golf. It's a hard game even for the most talented players. Always keep courage and patience with you in this game," Wang added.