Ginnie Ding looks to Scotland - and to playing against the very best
Credit: HKGA (Full Article Here)
Ginnie Ding didn’t really know quite what to say when the call came in to tell her she’d secured a place in this week’s US$2 million FREED GROUP Women’s Scottish Open, being played across the Dundonald Links.
When the Hong Kong-based tech company FREED GROUP took on the role of Title Partner they spoke to the HKGA about getting invites for local players and so attention turned to the National Team’s Tiffany Chan, the city’s LPGA pro, and to Ding, a standout college star at Vanderbilt University.
“It was honestly just a shock,” says Ding. “I was practicing on the putting green with Hong Kong National Coach, Gary Gilchrist, and yeah, and I got the news and it was just pure joy, excitement, some fear, honestly some initial fear, but overall I don't even think it's really hit me yet. I'm going in with fresh eyes, with a fresh attitude. I've never played a links course but I want to play with strategy and with preparation and I really just want to have fun and just soak up the moment.”
A junior with the Commodores squad, Ding is coming off a season that included a second overall at the FAU Paradise Invitational and a win at the 2023 Orlando International Amateur. But this week will be another level entirely.
The numbers going into the event are certainly impressive with reigning champion Ayaka Furue of Japan heading a field that will include 17 Major winners, 45 LPGA winners and 59 LET tournament winners.
Furue could not have been more impressive last year, posting a course-record final-round 62 to win the tournament. She’ll be up against it in her title defence, given the fact that there are seven of the world’s top-10 playing - Lilia Vu (four), Yin Ruoning (five), Allisen Corpuz (six), Minjee Lee (seven), Kim Hyo-joo (eight), Atthaya Thitikul (nine) and Lin Xiyu (10).
So for Ding, there’s the thrill of playing, first, but also the thrill of being able to get up close to the best there is in the game.
“That'll be insane,” says Ding. “I'll be watching more of the pros and I will be focusing on my own game, and I'll definitely do my best.”
There’s also the opportunity to once again be around - and learn from - Chan, Hong Kong’s ground-breaking first LPGA player. The pair were together last year for the Ladies Asian Tour’s Simone Asia Pacific Cup in Indonesia and Ding is relishing the opportunity to renew the friendship both on and off the course.
“I really want to thank the FREED GROUP and obviously the HKGA who gave me and Tiffany this opportunity,” says Ding. “It’s such a nice opportunity to be with Tiffany again. She's just a wonderful person to be around, just a good friend of mine and it'll definitely be fun. I really like my motto - good preparation, low expectations. I’ll just go out there, have fun, and give it my all.”
