Aphrodite Deng Makes History: First Canadian to Win the U.S. Girls’ Junior
The young Canadian golfer, Aphrodite Deng, has made history by becoming the first representative of Canada to win the prestigious U.S. Girls’ Junior tournament. Deng achieved victory on Saturday, defeating Xingtong Chen of Singapore with a score of 2 and 1 in the 36-hole final held at the Atlanta Athletic Club. At 15 years old, Deng, originally from Calgary, Alberta, adds this triumph to her impressive season record, which already included the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley and the Mizuho Americas Open. This victory secures her a spot in next year’s U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera, as well as in the U.S. Women’s Amateur, both this year and next.Deng dominated the first half of the final, building a 4-up lead over 16-year-old Chen, who in turn made history as the first Singaporean player to reach the final. Despite Chen’s efforts to close the gap, Deng remained calm and secured the victory on the 35th hole, tying her opponent’s par. “I stayed in the moment throughout the whole game,” Deng added. “I felt a little tired at the end. I learned that I am consistent and good, and I think I stay calm in front of a crowd and the cameras.”“It means a lot. I can’t believe I won,” Deng declared. “I didn’t think much about the final result because I knew there were many good players here. I just tried to win each match.”
Aphrodite Deng
