Ren Yijia captured her maiden victory in the pro ranks, and fifth CLPG Tour title, on Saturday as the Dalian teenager beat Canadian amateur Shauna Liu in a playoff to win the GolfJoy Women's Open at Mission Hills Golf Club Dongguan in Guangdong province.

In her second start since turning pro, the 16-year-old Ren closed with a three-under 69 to finish deadlocked with the 17-year-old Liu on 11-under 205 for 54 holes at the first full-field tournament of the CLPG Tour season.

With the rain starting just before the playoff, Ren put her approach to within eight feet of the pin on the 403-yard 18th hole. With Liu missing her 20-foot putt from the back of the green, Ren converted for the win and the 144,000 yuan ($20,837) check.

"My first win on the China LPGA Tour (as an amateur at the Beijing Women's Challenge in May 2024) came in a playoff, and now my first victory as a professional also came in a playoff. Sometimes the world works in such wonderful ways," said Ren.

Thailand's Onkanok Soisuwan, the first-round leader, finished equal third after a 69, tied with China's Sui Xiang (68) at five strokes back. Amateur Peng Yanxuan, who was tied for the lead with Ren going into the final round, could not build on her second-round 63 and closed with a two-over 74 to finish equal fifth with rookie pros Xu Ying (70) and Zhou Shiyuan (66) at six strokes off the pace.

Ren had to work to ensure a playoff, as Liu, playing in the group ahead of her, hit her stride with five birdies in seven holes starting from the ninth.

As Liu made her last birdie of the day at the par-five 15th to go a stroke ahead, Ren answered with a birdie of her own at the same hole to draw even with the Canadian.

"I wasn't watching the leaderboard when I was 11-under, but when I fell to 10-under I felt a little bit nervous. In the playoff, my approach shot onto the green was fantastic, leaving me an eight-foot birdie putt, and I made it," said Ren.

"My chipping was excellent this week. I have to say that was the key to my win. I managed to chip it really close many times and then made the putts."

Liu impressed in her CLPG Tour debut.

"Overall, I think I played pretty decently. There were some things I could have done better and some putts I probably could have dropped, but that's just golf," said Liu, who will play in the Chevron Championship next month, the first major of the LPGA Tour season.

"In the playoff, we both had pretty decent birdie chances. I was a little bit further away and she made hers and I didn't."

Defending champion Wang Zixuan closed with a 70 for her best round of the week, but never challenged the leaders, finishing eight strokes back.