GUANGLAN, China — Canadian amateur Shauna Liu of Maple, Ont., finished runner-up in a playoff at the GolfJoy Women’s Open on Saturday, narrowly missing out on the title after a strong final-round performance.
Liu, 17, a member of Golf Canada’s Team Canada NextGen squad, carded a bogey-free, six-under 66 to climb into a tie for the lead at 11-under-par 205 alongside China’s Ren Yijia at the CLPG Tour event held on the Olazabal Course at Mission Hills Golf Club Dongguan.
Ren secured the victory on the first playoff hole, converting a birdie from inside eight feet on the par-4 18th after Liu’s birdie attempt from approximately 20 feet slid past.
Despite the playoff loss, Liu impressed in her CLPG Tour debut, staying in contention throughout the week and posting one of the lowest rounds of the day on Saturday.
“Overall, I think I played pretty decent this week,” said Liu. “There were some things I could have done better and some putts I probably could have made, but that’s just golf.”
Liu surged into contention on the back nine, making five birdies over a seven-hole stretch starting at No. 9. She briefly held the outright lead after a birdie at the par-5 15th before Ren matched her with a birdie of her own. Both players closed regulation with three consecutive pars to force a playoff.
“At the playoff hole we both had pretty decent birdie chances,” Liu said. “I was a little bit further away and she made hers and I didn’t.”
The result continues a strong stretch for Liu, the reigning Canadian Junior Girls champion, who is set to compete in next month’s Chevron Championship — the first major of the LPGA Tour season. She has also committed to play collegiate golf at UCLA.
Thailand’s Onkanok Soisuwan and China’s Sui Xiang finished tied for third at six-under, five shots back.
The GolfJoy Women’s Open marked the first full-field event of the 2026 CLPG Tour season.
