Zhang Lian-Wei
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Zhang Lian-Wei (born 2 May 1965; Zhang is his family name) is a Chinese golfer. He was born in Zhuhai in Guangdong Province. He is the most successful golfer so far produced by mainland China.
The first golf course in the People's Republic of China 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. He has won a number of events in China and on the Asian Tour and one event in Canada. At the 2003 Caltex Singapore Masters Zhang beat Ernie Els at the 72nd hole to become the first Chinese golfer to win on the more prestigious European Tour. With this victory he also became the first Chinese golfer to make the top 100 in the Official World Golf Rankings. In 2004 he received a special invitation to play in The Masters Tournament, becoming the first player from mainland China to do so. He missed the cut at The Masters, but made it at his second event on the PGA Tour, the 2004 FedEx St. Jude Classic. He has also played extensively on the Japan Golf Tour.
[edit] Professional wins
- 1995 Volvo Open Shenzhen (Volvo China Tour), Volvo Masters of Malaysia, Volvo Masters of Thailand
- 1996 Volvo Masters of Malaysia, Volvo Masters of Thailand
- 1997 Hugo Boss Open (Volvo China Tour)
- 2000 Ontario Open Heritage Classic (Canada)
- 2001 Macau Open
- 2002 Macau Open
- 2003 Volvo China Open (not a European Tour event until the following year), Caltex Singapore Masters
