Thirteen years on, Zhang has defied sceptics and the odds to not only establish himself as China's first golfing superstar, but also to earn a reputation as a golfer of genuine international class.

In his single-minded pursuit of fairway fame and fortune, Zhang has travelled to far-flung outposts which, by his own admission, he'd have had less chance of pin-pointing on a map than he would of drilling a three-iron 220 yards into the wind, over water and on to the green.

In addition to his Asian excursions, globe-trotting Zhang has taken his inimitable brand of golf to Australia, North America, South Africa and a host of choice European destinations, including France, Sweden, Spain, Germany, Portugal and England, where he heads again this week for the Volvo PGA Championship at Wentworth.

However, as any golf historian or self-respecting player (professional or amateur) will tell you, until you've trodden the hallowed turf of St Andrews, the ancestral home of golf, your golfing life is incomplete.

And for all his remarkable exploits, Zhang has yet to experience the wonderful and unique thrill of performing over the fabled Scottish Old Course, where the Royal & Ancient game has its roots.

But that will all change in October when Zhang boldly goes where no previous mainland professional has been before as part of a three-man Chinese team in the Alfred Dunhill Cup.

Phlegmatic by nature, you can be sure Zhang will relish the opportunity to show the world his expertise, particularly in the medal-matchplay format that will present him the chance to go head-to-head with the game's elite.

Frequently, Zhang has proved himself to be a man for the big stage. Invariably, the stronger the opposition and the bigger the challenge, the better he plays. Reference his performances this year alongside world number one Tiger Woods in January's Johnnie Walker Classic and six-time Major winner Nick Faldo in the Macau Open at the start of May.

Nerve-ridden? Overawed? You've got to be joking. On both occasions he out-scored his illustrious partners over two rounds.

While playing at St Andrews will mark another watershed in Zhang's career, don't hold your breath waiting for him to proclaim it to be the deeply spiritual and religious experience it is for so many. That's not to say it won't be special.

With a purse of $13 million and each member of the victorious team taking home $1.3 million, how could it not be? Even bottom-placed finishers in each of the four preliminary groups are guaranteed a minimum of $50,000.

While it would be doing a disservice to Chinese number two Cheng Jun to describe China as a one-man team, let no one be in any doubt that the primary reason for the selection of China in the 16-nation field is Zhang.

Were it not for Zhang and his achievements, the International Advisory Committee would have been hard-pressed to justify inviting one of the world's youngest golfing nations.

Of course, nobody will expect the Chinese to go past the round-robin stage.

What you can be certain of, though, is that Zhang will leave his indelible stamp on the tournament, and the Scottish spectators who form the most knowledgeable galleries in the world.

Spencer Robinson is managing editor of Asian Golfer