ZHANG Lianwei produced the shot of his life yesterday to secure a gut-wrenching victory in the US$50,000 Volvo Open.
'I've never played under so much pressure before,' said Zhang, whose name will go down in the golfing archives as the first winner on the inaugural Volvo China Tour.
It was far from plain sailing for the 29-year-old who endured a torturous afternoon during which his emotions were stretched to the limit.
The collective relief of the members of the gallery was evident from the cheers that rang around Shenzhen Golf Club's 18th green as Zhang tapped in for his par and a round of one-over 73.
The three-time China Open amateur champion responded by removing his visor and waving. A smile broke out on to his face for the first time in the more than four hours he was on the course. Few were more thrilled at Zhang's success that Rong Gaotang, president of the China Golf Association (CGA). Rong and Cui Zhiqiang, the CGA's secretary-general, were among the first to congratulate Zhang.
'We couldn't have wished for a better result. This is the perfect start for the tour,' said Cui, looking towards Zhang who was being engulfed by well-wishers.