Double delight as China’s former bad boy Zhang Xinjun joins compatriot Dou Zecheng in securing 2018 PGA Tour card
Conclusion of regular season on second-tier Web.com circuit confirms order of merit rankings ahead of final series
From having no players competing regularly on the PGA Tour, China will have two in 2018 after Zhang Xinjun joined Dou Zecheng in securing a top-25 finish on the second-tier Web.com order of merit after the regular-season ending WinCo Foods Portland Open.
Zhang missed the cut at Pumpkin Ridge’s Witch Hollow Course, but had already done enough with four top-10 finishes this season to claim 20th place on the order of merit.
The success completes a turnaround for 30-year-old Zhang, who was banned for sixth months in 2014 after signing two incorrect scorecards during events on the PGA Tour China Series.
He was able to recover and, prior to his success on the Web.com tour, finished tied for 21st at last year’s WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai, where he played over the weekend with then world number two Rory McIlroy, then British Open champion Henrik Stenson and Olympic Games bronze medallist Matt Kuchar.
“To be honest, I was on the verge of having a breakdown,” said Zhang recently in relation to his ban having also finished fifth on the 2016 PGA Tour China Series order of merit.
“As a professional player it was unforgivable to make this kind of mistake. I have been reflecting on this mistake for three years, and until this day I’m still reluctant to mention that period, but of course this experience made me grow up.