In the history of professional golf, there have been some teenage prodigies who have broken through to win at incredibly young ages.
Both men and women have been defeated by teenage boys and girls who played world-class golf for several days to win tournaments recognized by either the Official World Golf Ranking or the Rolex Women's World Golf Ranking.
Who is the youngest winner of a professional golf tournament?
The youngest player to win a men's professional golf tournament is Josh Hill. On Oct. 23, 2019, Hill became the youngest male winner of a pro golf tournament recognized by the Official World Golf Ranking.
With a final round of 62, Hill held on to win the Al Ain Open on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Tour in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. Hill won as an amateur, so he could not accept the £10,000 first-place prize. Josh Hill was 15 years, 6 months, 27 days old.
Ryo Ishikawa had previously been the youngest champion at an OWGR-recognized event when he won on the Japan Golf Tour on May 20, 2007, at the Munsingwear Open KSB Cup at the age of 15 years, 8 months, 3 days. It was Ishikawa's first-ever appearance on the tour.
However, the youngest winner of any world ranking-recognized golf tournament is Atthaya Thitikul.
She became the youngest-ever winner of a professional golf tournament recognized by the world rankings system, taking the Ladies European Tour's Ladies European Thailand Championship at the age of 14 years, 4 months and 19 days on July 9, 2017.
