World No. 4 amateur Wenyi Ding no longer at Arizona State. What’s next?

Photo: Ben Adelberg/The Back of the Range
Wenyi Ding, the No. 4 amateur in the world, is no longer on the Arizona State men’s golf roster.

Ding will remain an amateur for the foreseeable future, but he won’t compete for the Sun Devils this fall, a school spokesperson confirmed to Golfweek.

Ding, who won the Southern Amateur this summer, withdrew from the U.S. Amateur field last week because of an undisclosed injury.

Last spring, Ding made a stellar collegiate debut. He posted five top-six finishes, including a record-setting win at the Amer Ari Invitational. He earned first-team All-America honors and was expected to be one of the top collegiate players this season.

However, Ding’s decision to not play for Arizona State this fall likely has to do with his position in the Global Amateur Pathway ranking, where he sits No. 1. The ranking rewards the top non-collegiate amateur each year with a DP World Tour card.

In order to be eligible for the ranking, a player must “not be a current NCAA Division-I player” and “be at least 20 years of age by the end of the calendar year.” Ding turns 20 in November.

The first exemptions will be awarded for the 2025 season.

Even with Ding’s departure, the Sun Devils have a loaded roster for the 2024-25 season. Highlighting the roster is world No. 7 and 2024 U.S. Amateur champion Josele Ballester and Preston Summerhays, the PGA Tour University No. 1 in the Class of 2025 and world No. 6.