appConfigEntityId

bodyType

customContents

entityId

entityUuid

isVideo

articlePageQuery

article

articleSchemaContent

content

hooksArticlePageAdvertisementConfigArticle

hooksArticlePageFloatingButtonConfigArticle

appConfig

filter

json

liveArticle

Josh Ball

It was a moment Miranda Wang had been working towards for years, and in the end the overriding emotion on Thursday after her first round on the LPGA Tour was one of relief.
Naturally, there was excitement too for the Beijing-born 26-year-old, who opened her HSBC Women’s World Championship with an even-par 72, but getting through the “really amazing” day in Singapore topped the list.
Her state of mind may well have had something to do with the back-to-back bogeys she recovered from at the start, which she put down to being “a little bit rusty”.
Wang, who began the day on the 10th hole of Sentosa Golf Club’s Tanjong Course, had birdies at 15 and 18, and moved to one under par for the round with another at the par-four second. But she finished as she started, with a bogey at seven taking her back to even par.
“I’m happy that I was able to get my game and my tempo back quick on the front nine,” Wang said. “It’s a relief to get the first round out of the way. I’m definitely getting warmed up and hopefully tomorrow I can play a little better.”

Even par left her four shots back from first-round leader Kim A-lim, with England’s Charley Hull alone in second on three under after an opening 69. Australia’s Hannah Green started the defence of her title with a 75.
Playing this week on a sponsor’s invitation, Wang is slightly older than your average rookie, but nerves were not an issue – she has been in high-pressure situations since she was four years old.
Wang was brought up by her grandparents, while her parents Wang Haiqiang and Cindy Wang worked on growing the family business. Her grandmother had visions of developing a musician, and so she was sent to a kindergarten to train on the piano.
She has previously described remembering her hands shaking when she performed at a recital at the time, and post-round said “right now, for me, playing piano in front of people would be harder than playing golf in front of people”.
Still an accomplished pianist, Wang now uses the instrument to unwind, saying it helped “with relaxing and with tempo”.
It was her grandfather who introduced the eight-year-old Wang to golf after deciding she needed time outdoors, and the Duke University alumnus has never looked back.
A career showing signs of significant promise has brought amateur titles, college titles, a win at the 2023 IOA Championship on the Epson Tour – the tier below the LPGA Tour – and six top-10 finishes last year on the way to earning her card on the elite circuit.
Another off China’s women’s golf production line is Yin Ruoning. The 22-year-old, who won three times on tour last year, carded a first-round 70 to sit in a four-way tie for third alongside Minjee Lee, Choi Hye-jin and Gaby Lopez.
Also in the field on sponsor invitations are compatriots Muni He, who ended her day at one over, and Liu Ruixin, who had a round to forget, with a six-over 78.
“I’m very proud of the girls from China,” Wang said. “There’s more players than ever [from China] on the LPGA Tour and I know most of them since junior golf.
“I’m just really proud of being part of this group, and we’re working really hard. I think [in] the future, we will have more players coming out.”
Wang said she was not looking at the leaderboard this week, and had not set herself any goals other than to “shoot under par every day, so sorry about that today”.


50 years after first landing in Hong Kong, the LPGA Tour is back and bigger than ever

Hannah Green wins in Singapore again as newly married Kiwi wins New Zealand Open

Hannah Green, Minjee Lee take lead in Singapore, Kiwi raises home hopes in New Zealand

Minjee Lee climbs World Championship leaderboard in Singapore, amateur leads in New Zealand

LPGA Tour

HSBC Women’s World Championship: relief for China’s Miranda Wang on LPGA debut

Miranda Wang hits her opening tee shot during the first round at Sentosa Golf Club on Thursday. Photo: HSBC Women’s World Championship

Miranda Wang checks her yardage book on Thursday. Photo: HSBC Women’s World Championship

Hong Kong Sevens adds new fan village as it prepares for Kai Tak debut

The Hong Kong Sevens will be held for the first time at the newly built Kai Tak Stadium in March. Photo: AFP

Waisale Serevi in action at the 1993 Sevens. Photo: Paul Lakatos

Schalk Burger in possession for South Africa in a 15-a-side match against Scotland in 2006. Photo: EPA

Arsenal v Tottenham in Hong Kong? Kai Tak could host first North London derby outside UK

Arsenal players celebrate a goal at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in last September’s North London derby. Photo: dpa

Spurs’ South Korean forward Son Heung-min could be set to play at Kai Tak Stadium. Photo: Reuters

Sport

Golf

Wang finishes first round four shots behind early leader Kim A-lim at Singapore’s Sentosa Golf Club


Wang finishes first round four shots behind early leader Kim A-lim at Singapore’s Sentosa Golf Club.


HSBC Women’s World Championship: relief for China’s Miranda Wang on LPGA debut

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Wang finishes first round four shots behind early leader Kim A-lim at Singapore’s Sentosa Golf Club

Wang finishes first round four shots behind early leader Kim A-lim at Singapore’s Sentosa Golf Club