Zhang Lian-Wei
Encyclopedia
Zhang Lian-wei is a Chinese professional golf
er.
Zhang was the first golfer from the People's Republic of China
to achieve substantial success on the international professional circuit. In January 2003 he became the first Chinese golfer to win on the European Tour
, and the following year was the first to compete in the Masters Tournament, one of the four major championships
.
in Guangdong Province. The People's Republic of China's first golf course opened in 1984, and Zhang took up the game soon afterwards. He worked as a caddie and won the China Amateur Open Championship three times before turning professional in 1994.
Early in his career, Zhang won a number of smaller tournaments around Asia, in China, Malaysia and Thailand. He has competed predominantly on the Asian Tour
since 1997, but has also played extensively on the Japan Golf Tour
. He has also played outside Asia with limited success. However he did win a tournament in Canada in 2000.
Zhang came to global attention at the 2003 Caltex Singapore Masters, where he edged out Ernie Els
with a birdie on the final hole to become the first Chinese golfer to win on the European Tour. With this victory he also became the first Chinese golfer to make the top 100 in the Official World Golf Rankings
. As a result, in 2004 he received a special invitation to play in the Masters Tournament, becoming the first player from mainland China to compete in the tournament. His invite drew significant criticism, with many players believing that there were other Asian golfers more deserving of a place in the Augusta field.
Zhang has won a total of five tournaments on the Asian Tour, and has a best end of season ranking of 2nd on the Order of Merit, achieved in 2003. He has also won six times on the China Tour, where he topped the Order of Merit in 2006.
In 2009, while being invited to compete in the Omega European Masters
in Crans-sur-Sierre, Switzerland he meet Stéphane Barras, the local club pro, who later became his coach. Together they opened the first golf training center at Haigeng in the province of Yunnan, (the Olympic training center of China). In 2010, Zhang regained his title at the PGA of China and in 2011 he finishing -13 and best Chinese at the China Open co-sanctioned with European Tour, OneAsia tour and Asian Tour. Today Zhang is a regular player in Japan.
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
er.
Zhang was the first golfer from the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
to achieve substantial success on the international professional circuit. In January 2003 he became the first Chinese golfer to win on the European Tour
PGA European Tour
The PGA European Tour is an organization which operates the three leading men's professional golf tours in Europe: the elite European Tour, the European Seniors Tour and the developmental Challenge Tour. Its headquarters are at Wentworth Club in Virginia Water, Surrey, England...
, and the following year was the first to compete in the Masters Tournament, one of the four major championships
Men's major golf championships
The men's major golf championships, commonly known as the Major Championships, and often referred to simply as the majors, are the four most prestigious annual tournaments in professional golf...
.
Career
Zhang was born in ZhuhaiZhuhai
Zhuhai is a prefecture-level city on the southern coast of Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in the Pearl River Delta, Zhuhai borders Jiangmen to the northwest, Zhongshan to the north, and Macau to the south. Zhuhai was one of the original Special Economic Zones...
in Guangdong Province. The People's Republic of China's first golf course opened in 1984, and Zhang took up the game soon afterwards. He worked as a caddie and won the China Amateur Open Championship three times before turning professional in 1994.
Early in his career, Zhang won a number of smaller tournaments around Asia, in China, Malaysia and Thailand. He has competed predominantly on the Asian Tour
Asian Tour
The Asian Tour is the principal men's professional golf tour in Asia except for Japan, which has its own Japan Golf Tour, which is also a full member of the International Federation of PGA Tours. The Asian Tour is administered from offices in Singapore...
since 1997, but has also played extensively on the Japan Golf Tour
Japan Golf Tour
The Japan Golf Tour is a prominent golf tour. It was founded in 1973 and as of 2006 it offers the third highest annual prize fund out of the regular men's professional tours after the PGA Tour and the European Tour. However since the early 1990s, the growth in prize money has not kept pace with...
. He has also played outside Asia with limited success. However he did win a tournament in Canada in 2000.
Zhang came to global attention at the 2003 Caltex Singapore Masters, where he edged out Ernie Els
Ernie Els
Theodore Ernest "Ernie" Els is a South African professional golfer, who has been one of the top professional players in the world since the mid-1990s. A former World No. 1, he is known as "The Big Easy" due to his imposing physical stature along with his fluid, seemingly effortless golf swing...
with a birdie on the final hole to become the first Chinese golfer to win on the European Tour. With this victory he also became the first Chinese golfer to make the top 100 in the Official World Golf Rankings
Official World Golf Rankings
The Official World Golf Ranking is a system for rating the performance level of male professional golfers...
. As a result, in 2004 he received a special invitation to play in the Masters Tournament, becoming the first player from mainland China to compete in the tournament. His invite drew significant criticism, with many players believing that there were other Asian golfers more deserving of a place in the Augusta field.
Zhang has won a total of five tournaments on the Asian Tour, and has a best end of season ranking of 2nd on the Order of Merit, achieved in 2003. He has also won six times on the China Tour, where he topped the Order of Merit in 2006.
In 2009, while being invited to compete in the Omega European Masters
Omega European Masters
The Omega European Masters is the Swiss stop on professional men's golf's European Tour, and in 2009 will become the first event in Europe to be co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour....
in Crans-sur-Sierre, Switzerland he meet Stéphane Barras, the local club pro, who later became his coach. Together they opened the first golf training center at Haigeng in the province of Yunnan, (the Olympic training center of China). In 2010, Zhang regained his title at the PGA of China and in 2011 he finishing -13 and best Chinese at the China Open co-sanctioned with European Tour, OneAsia tour and Asian Tour. Today Zhang is a regular player in Japan.
Amateur wins
- 1989 China Amateur Open Championship
- 1991 China Amateur Open Championship
- 1994 China Amateur Open Championship
European Tour wins (1)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning Score | Margin of Victory | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 26 Jan 2003 2003 European Tour The 2003 European Tour was the 32nd season of golf tournaments since the European Tour officially began in 1972. The 2003 season consisted of 46 official money events, which included the four major championships and three World Golf Championships which were also sanctioned by the PGA Tour... |
Caltex Masters | 1 stroke |  South Africa Ernie ElsErnie Els Theodore Ernest "Ernie" Els is a South African professional golfer, who has been one of the top professional players in the world since the mid-1990s. A former World No. 1, he is known as "The Big Easy" due to his imposing physical stature along with his fluid, seemingly effortless golf swing... |
Asian Tour wins (5)
- 1996 (1) Volvo Asian Matchplay
- 2001 (1) Macau OpenMacau OpenThe Macau Open was a men's professional golf tournament on the Asian Tour which took place in Macau. It was founded in 1998. The venue was the Macau Golf & Country Club at Coloane. The best known golfer who won the tournament is eight-time European Tour Order of Merit champion Colin Montgomerie...
- 2002 (1) Macau OpenMacau OpenThe Macau Open was a men's professional golf tournament on the Asian Tour which took place in Macau. It was founded in 1998. The venue was the Macau Golf & Country Club at Coloane. The best known golfer who won the tournament is eight-time European Tour Order of Merit champion Colin Montgomerie...
- 2003 (2) Volvo China OpenVolvo China OpenThe Volvo China Open is a men's golf tournament that has been held annually in China since 1995. The event is organised by the China Golf Association and has been co-sanctioned by the European Tour since 2003....
, Caltex Masters (co-sanctioned by the European Tour)
China Tour wins (7)
- 1995 (1) Volvo Open
- 1997 (1) Hugo Boss Open
- 2006 (2) Omega China Tour – Zhuhai, Omega China Tour – Shanghai
- 2007 (2) Omega China Tour – Qingdao, Omega China Tour – Guangzhou
- 2010 (1) China Tour – PGA Championship
Other wins (5)
- 1995 (2) Volvo Masters of Malaysia, Volvo Masters of Thailand
- 1996 (2) Volvo Masters of Malaysia, Volvo Masters of Thailand
- 1998 (1) Hong Kong PGA Championship
Results in major championships
| Tournament | 2004 |
|---|---|
| The Masters | CUT |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
DNP |
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
DNP |
| PGA Championship PGA Championship The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... |
DNP |
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
Team appearances
- World Cup (representing China): 1995, 1996, 2001, 20072007 OMEGA Mission Hills World CupThe 2007 Omega Mission Hills World Cup took place from November 22 to November 25 at Mission Hills Golf Club in Shenzhen, China. It was the 53rd World Cup. 28 countries competed and each country sent two players. The team purse is $5,000,000 with $1,600,000 going to the winner. The individual purse...
, 20082008 Omega Mission Hills World CupThe 2008 Omega Mission Hills World Cup took place from November 27 to November 30 at Mission Hills Golf Club in Shenzhen, China. It was the 54th World Cup. 28 countries competed and each country sent two players. The team purse was $5,000,000 with $1,600,000 going to the winner. The Swedish team of...
, 20092009 Omega Mission Hills World CupThe 2009 Omega Mission Hills World Cup took place from November 26 to November 29 at Mission Hills Golf Club in Shenzhen, China. It was the 55th World Cup. 28 countries competed as two player teams... - Dunhill Cup (representing China): 1998, 1999, 2000
- Dynasty Cup: 2003 (winners), 2005 (winners)
- Royal TrophyRoyal TrophyThe Royal Trophy is a men's professional team golf tournament which was played for the first time in January 2006 at the Amata Spring Country Club in Chonburi, Thailand. The competing teams represent Europe and Asia. Eight man teams play a series of 16 matches involving foursomes, four-ball and...
(representing Asia): 20062006 Royal TrophyThe 2006 Royal Trophy was the first edition of The Royal Trophy, a team golf event contested between teams representing Asia and Europe. It was held from 7–8 January at the Amata Spring Country Club in Thailand...