In the scheduled 36-hole final on the eponymous course at Bandon Dunes, the 17-year-old Ding overcame an early disadvantage to build a commanding 8-up lead with eight holes remaining. He then held on to win, 3 and 2, and become the first Chinese man to win a USGA title.
He played some genuinely flawless golf, according to Surratt. "For 25 holes, he made every shot where it needed to be. It was just challenging to win.
It was just challenging to win. For 34 holes, I thought I was 7 or 8 under par, but I just fell short.
With concessions, Surratt finished the game seven under par. He recorded 12 birdies, including one on each morning's opening three holes to take a 2-up lead.
The 18-year-old University of Tennessee commit has been hot all summer, converting significant spring victories at the Terra Cotta Invitational and Junior Invitational at Sage Valley into a string of four top-6 finishes in Elite Amateur Series competitions (he leads the inaugural points race with only the Western Amateur remaining).
Ding took an unplayable at the 29th hole following a lousy drive (No. 11). At the 32nd hole, Surratt came very close to making an eagle shot (No. 14). and Ding conceded the hole after failing to hit the par-3's green on his first three attempts.
Just relax, my caddy advised me," Ding said. "You're in a better position. He is anxious, but he is more nervous than you. Thus you will prevail.
Surratt missed his 25-foot birdie putt at the postcard-short par-4 16th due to a bad pitch. Ding only needed to cut an 8-footer close to winning the championship.
Despite being a three-time Chinese Amateur champion and finishing tied for third in the Volvo China Open the previous year, Ding had played infrequently in the United States until this summer. He is No. 20 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, one spot behind Surratt, and verbally committed to Arizona State.
The two top-ranked players in the field, which now has 264 contestants each year, are expected to meet for the first time in Ding and Surratt's championship match.
With the victory, Ding achieved what his fellow countryman Bo Jin did in 2019 when the current Oklahoma State player came in second place behind Preston Summerhays.
2019 U.S. Girls' Junior and Women's Amateur Public Links, respectively.
As the reigning U.S. Junior winner, he joins the likes of Jordan Spieth (2011, as well as in 2009), Scottie Scheffler (2013), Will Zalatoris (2014), and Min Woo Lee in good company (2016).
Ding's caddie, Bandon looper Wil Lozano, stated, "When you're in the finals, you know you've got someone equally up to the task." "I anticipated it would be challenging. The first nine of that course felt a little too fantastic to be true. But I was confident we would prevail if he even tied or won one of the final eight holes.
He began to feel some pressure, and he had complained to me about his fatigue and exhaustion for a few days. Everyone who plays this course suffers, not to mention what the wind does. I'm just pleased with his tenacity.
After his historic triumph was formally announced, Ding hugged his father, Feng.
Ding had just put out the red-hot Surratt, so it was time for the tears to start flowing.
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