PGA Tour China
PGA Tour China is a China-based men's professional golf tour as part of the PGA Tour's global expansion. The tour started in 2014. After a hiatus in 2017, the tour resumed in 2018.[1][2] It is known as PGA Tour Series China. An earlier tour, the Omega China Tour, ran from 2004 to 2009.
 | |
| Sport | Golf |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2014 |
| Founder | PGA Tour |
| Inaugural season | 2014 |
| Ceased | 2020 |
| Country | Based in China[lower-alpha 1] |
| Most titles | Tournament wins: 4:  Dou Zecheng Charlie Saxon |
| Related competitions | China Tour PGA Tour Canada PGA Tour Latinoamérica |
The United States-based PGA Tour started PGA Tour China in 2014, joining PGA Tour Canada and PGA Tour Latinoamérica as international developmental tours.[3] Similar to the Canadian and Latinoamerica tours, PGA Tour China offers a path to the Korn Ferry Tour for top finishers. It also offers Official World Golf Ranking points to the top-six finishers at each tournament. The top five finishers on the Order of Merit at season's end receive promotion to the Korn Ferry Tour. The money leader is fully exempt, while the other four players receive conditional status. Those who place second through tenth on the Order of Merit advance to the Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament's final stage. The top-50 players on the Order of Merit at the end of the season retain PGA Tour China privileges for the following year.
On 29 January 2014, PGA Tour China announced qualifying procedures and a 12-event season to begin in April. Two 72-hole qualifying tournaments were played in March. Each event awarded 20 full-time Tour cards, and conditional cards to the next 20 players plus those tied. For its inaugural season, PGA Tour China gave exemptions to the top 70 according to the China Golf Association rankings. After the 40 qualifiers and 70 from the rankings, the balance of the fields were filled through sponsor exemptions, Monday qualifiers and eligible players from the Web.com Tour, PGA Tour Latinoamérica, and PGA Tour Canada.[4]
Zhang Lianwei, China's most successful professional golfer, hit the first tee shot in PGA Tour China history.[5] South Korean teenager Wang Jeung-hun dominated the season's first event, the Mission Hills Haikou Open, winning by what is still a tournament record 10 shots.
Teenager Li Haotong won the final two events of the 2014 season, the Hainan Open and the Tour Championship – and three tournaments overall – to capture Player of the Year honors and full access to the Web.com Tour. Li later played on the European Tour, where he was an event in 2006. Another notable winner was China's Jin Cheng, a 16-year-old amateur who came from behind on the final day of the Nine Dragons Open to pass Lucas Lee. The victory by Jin is still the only time an amateur has broken through and won. Brett Drewitt finished third on the Order of Merit and also advanced to the Web.com Tour. After two seasons on that circuit, Drewitt earned his PGA Tour card for the 2016–17 season.
In 2015, New Zealand's Josh Geary won three tournaments, matching the win total of Li. But it was Australia's Bryden Macpherson, having returned to China for the second half of the season after failing to qualify for the Web.com Tour Finals, who finished atop the Order of Merit for a return trip to the Web.com Tour in 2016. Midway during the 2015 season, the series was renamed Ping An Bank China Tour – PGA Tour China Series after Ping An Bank became the tour's umbrella sponsor.
Another teenager from China dominated the third season, in 2016. Nineteen-year-old Dou Zecheng defeated Zhang Xinjun in the season-opening Henan Open, and Dou just kept winning. He eventually captured four titles, setting a record for single-season earnings CN¥1,144,350. The University of Oklahoma's Charlie Saxon won two tournaments and finished second on the Order of Merit. Dou was prominently featured in a Fortune article that appeared during the 2016 season.[6] The Tour also made history by hosting its first tournament outside of Mainland China, the Clearwater Bay Open at Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club in Hong Kong. In 2017, Dou became the first Chinese player to win on the Web.com Tour and graduated to the PGA Tour.
2020 season
The 2020 season was announced in January with a 14 tournament schedule which ventured outside Greater China for the first time with the Phuket Championship in Thailand.[7] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the season was initially postponed,[8] before being cancelled in late July, with all exemptions being carried forward to 2021.[9] Earlier in July, China had announced the cancellation all international sporting events for the year.[10] All players who qualified for the PGA Tour China during the 2020 season were eligible for the LocaliQ Series.
| Date | Tournament | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 29 Mar | Sanya Championship | Hainan |
| 5 Apr | Haikou Classic | Hainan |
| 12 Apr | Chongqing Championship | Chongqing |
| 19 Apr | Guangzhou Open | Guangdong |
| 10 May | Clearwater Bay Open | Hong Kong |
| 17 May | Phuket Championship | Thailand |
| 24 May | Beijing Championship | Beijing |
| 13 Sep | Suzhou Championship | Jiangsu |
| 20 Sep | Shanghai Open | Shanghai |
| 27 Sep | Macau Championship | Macau |
2019 season
The following table lists official events during the 2019 season.
| Date | Tournament | Location | Purse (CN¥) | Winner[lower-alpha 2] | OWGR points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 Mar | Chongqing Championship | Chongqing | 1,500,000 |  Taihei Sato (1) | 6 |
| 7 Apr | Sanya Championship | Hainan | 1,500,000 | Trevor Sluman (1) | 6 |
| 14 Apr | Haikou Championship | Hainan | 1,500,000 | David Kocher (1) | 6 |
| 12 May | Beijing Championship | Beijing | 1,500,000 | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Richard Jung (2) | 6 |
| 19 May | Qinhuangdao Championship | Hebei | 1,500,000 |  Luke Kwon (1) | 6 |
| 26 May | Nantong Championship | Jiangsu | 1,500,000 | Kevin Techakanokboon (2) | 6 |
| 16 Jun | Suzhou Open | Jiangsu | 1,500,000 |  Cyril Bouniol (1) | 6 |
| 23 Jun | Huangshan Championship | Anhui | 1,500,000 | Bai Zhengkai (1) | 6 |
| 21 Jul | Guangzhou Open | Guangdong | 1,500,000 | Max McGreevy (1) | 6 |
| 28 Jul | Dongguan Open | Guangdong | 1,500,000 | Joey Lane (1) | 6 |
| 15 Sep | Haikou Classic | Hainan | 1,500,000 |  Quincy Quek (1) | 6 |
| 22 Sep | Zhuzhou Classic | Hunan | 1,500,000 |  Yeung Motin (2) | 6 |
| 13 Oct | Macau Championship | Macau | 1,500,000 | Shin Yong-gu (2) | 6 |
| Clearwater Bay Open | Hong Kong | – | Cancelled[lower-alpha 3] | – |
Order of Merit
The Order of Merit was based on prize money won during the season, calculated in Renminbi. The top five players on the tour earned status to play on the 2020–21 Korn Ferry Tour.[12]
| Position | Player | Prize money (CN¥) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max McGreevy | 974,153 |
| 2 | Trevor Sluman | 787,865 |
| 3 | David Kocher | 771,337 |
| 4 | Cyril Bouniol | 674,968 |
| 5 | Luke Kwon | 668,359 |
2018 season
The following table lists official events during the 2018 season.
| Date | Tournament | Location | Purse (CN¥) | Winner[lower-alpha 4] | OWGR points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Mar | Chengdu Championship | Sichuan | 1,500,000 | Jeffrey Kang (1) | 6 |
| 25 Mar | Chongqing Championship | Chongqing | 1,500,000 | Cao Yi (1) | 6 |
| 6 May | Changsha Championship | Hunan | 1,500,000 | Charlie Saxon (3) | 6 |
| 13 May | Haikou Championship | Hainan | 1,500,000 | Todd Baek (2) | 6 |
| 10 Jun | Guilin Championship | Guangxi | 1,500,000 | Charlie Saxon (4) | 6 |
| 17 Jun | Kunming Championship | Yunnan | 1,500,000 | Yeung Motin (1) | 6 |
| 15 Jul | Yantai Championship | Shandong | 1,500,000 | Joseph Winslow (1) | 6 |
| 22 Jul | Qingdao Championship | Shandong | 1,500,000 | Yuan Yechun (1) | 6 |
| 29 Jul | Beijing Championship | Beijing | 1,500,000 | Peter Campbell (1) | 6 |
| 2 Sep | Suzhou Open | Jiangsu | 1,500,000 | Richard Jung (1) | 6 |
| 9 Sep | Qinhuangdao Championship | Hebei | 1,500,000 |  Nick Voke (1) | 6 |
| 30 Sep | Macau Championship | Macau | 1,500,000 | Nick Voke (2) | 6 |
| 7 Oct | Zhuhai Championship | Guangdong | 1,500,000 | Kevin Techakanokboon (1) | 6 |
| 14 Oct | Clearwater Bay Open | Hong Kong | 2,000,000 | Nick Voke (3) | 6 |
Order of Merit
The Order of Merit was based on prize money won during the season, calculated in Renminbi. The top five players on the tour earned status to play on the 2019 Korn Ferry Tour.
| Position | Player | Prize money (CN¥) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Callum Tarren | 1,094,600 |
| 2 | Charlie Saxon | 1,092,224 |
| 3 | Nick Voke | 987,500 |
| 4 | Yuwa Kosaihira | 732,832 |
| 5 | Todd Baek | 660,700 |
2016 season
The following table lists official events during the 2016 season.
| Date | Tournament | Location | Purse (CN¥) | Winner[lower-alpha 4] | OWGR points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 May | St. Andrews Henan Open | Henan | 1,200,000 | Dou Zecheng (1) | 6 |
| 29 May | United Investment Real Estate Wuhan Open | Hubei | 1,200,000 | Dou Zecheng (2) | 6 |
| 5 Jun | Cadillac Championship | Sichuan | 1,200,000 | Alexander Kang (1) | 6 |
| 12 Jun | Lanhai Open | Shanghai | 1,200,000 | .svg.png.webp){kind=small} Rohan Blizard (1) | 6 |
| 26 Jun | Sunning Estate Nanjing Zhongshan Open | Jiangsu | 1,200,000 | Dou Zecheng (3) | 6 |
| 3 Jul | Ping An Private Bank Wanda Open | Jilin | 1,200,000 | Kim Tae-woo (1) | 6 |
| 4 Sep | Yulongwan Yunnan Open | Yunnan | 1,200,000 | Dou Zecheng (4) | 6 |
| 11 Sep | Chongqing Jiangnan NewTown KingRun Open | Chongqing | 1,200,000 |  Gunn Charoenkul (2) | 7 |
| 18 Sep | Pingan Bank Open | Beijing | 1,200,000 | Charlie Saxon (1) | 7 |
| 6 Nov | Clearwater Bay Open | Hong Kong | 1,200,000 | Daniel Nisbet (1) | 7 |
| 13 Nov | Putian Open | Fujian | 1,200,000 | Kim Tae-woo (2) | 7 |
| 20 Nov | Zhuhai Hengqin Phoenix Tree Open | Guangdong | 1,200,000 | Charlie Saxon (2) | 7 |
| 27 Nov | Buick Open | Guangdong | 1,200,000 | Zhang Huilin (2) | 7 |
Order of Merit
The Order of Merit was based on prize money won during the season, calculated in Renminbi. The top five players on the tour earned status to play on the 2017 Web.com Tour.
| Position | Player | Prize money (CN¥) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dou Zecheng | 1,144,350 |
| 2 | Charlie Saxon | 871,395 |
| 3 | Alexander Kang | 597,575 |
| 4 | Kim Tae-woo | 578,886 |
| 5 | Zhang Xinjun | 504,675 |
2015 season
The following table lists official events during the 2015 season.
| Date | Tournament | Location | Purse (CN¥) | Winner[lower-alpha 4] | OWGR points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Apr | Buick Open | Hainan | 1,200,000 | Josh Geary (1) | 6 |
| 17 May | Eternal Courtyard Open | Henan | 1,200,000 |  Chan Shih-chang (1) | 6 |
| 24 May | United Investment Real Estate Wuhan Open | Hubei | 1,200,000 | Shin Yong-gu (1) | 6 |
| 31 May | Lanhai Open | Shanghai | 1,200,000 | Josh Geary (2) | 6 |
| 13 Sep | Pingan Bank Open | Beijing | 1,200,000 | Eugene Wong (1) | 6 |
| 27 Sep | Cadillac Championship | Beijing | 1,200,000 | Bryden Macpherson (1) | 6 |
| 4 Oct | Yulongwan Yunnan Open | Yunnan | 1,200,000 | Josh Geary (3) | 6 |
| 11 Oct | Lushan Open | Jiangxi | 1,200,000 | Bryden Macpherson (2) | 6 |
| 18 Oct | Chongqing Jiangnan NewTown KingRun Open | Chongqing | 1,200,000 | Zhang Xinjun (2) | 6 |
| 22 Nov | Nine Dragons Open | Zhejiang | 1,200,000 | Chao Haimeng (1) | 6 |
| 29 Nov | Hainan Open | Hainan | 1,200,000 | Zhang Huilin (1) | 6 |
| 6 Dec | Capital Airline – HNA Real Estate Championship | Guangdong | 1,200,000 | He Zeyu (1) | 7 |
Order of Merit
The Order of Merit was based on prize money won during the season, calculated in Renminbi. The top five players on the tour earned status to play on the 2016 Web.com Tour.
| Position | Player | Prize money (CN¥) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bryden Macpherson | 769,960 |
| 2 | Josh Geary | 747,230 |
| 3 | Zhang Xinjun | 545,046 |
| 4 | Dou Zecheng | 483,813 |
| 5 | Eugene Wong | 454,768 |
2014 season
The following table lists official events during the 2014 season.
| Date | Tournament | Location | Purse (CN¥) | Winner[lower-alpha 4] | OWGR points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Apr | Mission Hills Haikou Open | Hainan | 1,200,000 | Wang Jeung-hun (1) | 6 |
| 4 May | Buick Open | Guangdong | 1,200,000 | Sam Chien (1) | 6 |
| 18 May | United Investment Real Estate Wuhan Open | Hubei | 1,200,000 | Brett Drewitt (1) | 6 |
| 8 Jun | Lanhai Open | Shanghai | 1,200,000 | David McKenzie (1) | 6 |
| 15 Jun | Earls Beijing Open | Beijing | 1,200,000 | Zhang Xinjun (1) | 6 |
| 10 Aug | Yulongwan Yunnan Open | Yunnan | 1,200,000 | Gunn Charoenkul (1) | 6 |
| 7 Sep | Chateau Junding Penglai Open | Shandong | 1,200,000 | Todd Baek (1) | 6 |
| 14 Sep | Cadillac Championship | Beijing | 1,200,000 | David McKenzie (2) | 6 |
| 28 Sep | Jianye Tianzhu Henan Open | Henan | 1,200,000 | Li Haotong (1) | 6 |
| 16 Nov | Nine Dragons Open | Zhejiang | 1,200,000 | Jin Cheng (a) (1) | 6 |
| 23 Nov | Hainan Open | Hainan | 1,200,000 | Li Haotong (2) | 6 |
| 30 Nov | CTS Tycoon Championship | Guangdong | 1,200,000 | Li Haotong (3) | 6 |
Order of Merit
The Order of Merit was based on prize money won during the season, calculated in Renminbi. The top five players on the tour earned status to play on the 2015 Web.com Tour.[13]
| Position | Player | Prize money (CN¥) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Li Haotong | 967,788 |
| 2 | Zhang Xinjun | 650,600 |
| 3 | Brett Drewitt | 585,196 |
| 4 | Sam Chien | 573,951 |
| 5 | Todd Baek | 535,920 |
Order of Merit winners
| Year | Winner | Prize money (CN¥) |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Max McGreevy | 974,153 |
| 2018 | Callum Tarren | 1,094,600 |
| 2016 | Dou Zecheng | 1,144,350 |
| 2015 | Bryden Macpherson | 769,960 |
| 2014 | Li Haotong | 967,788 |
Notes
- Schedules have included events in Hong Kong, Macau and Thailand.
- The number in brackets after each winner's name is the number of PGA Tour China events they had won up to and including that tournament. It is rare for someone to accumulate many wins on the PGA Tour China as success at this level usually leads to promotion to the Korn Ferry Tour.
- Cancelled due to the 2019–20 Hong Kong protests.[11]
- The number in brackets after each winner's name is the number of PGA Tour China events they had won up to and including that tournament. This information is only shown for PGA Tour China members. It is rare for someone to accumulate many wins on the PGA Tour China as success at this level usually leads to promotion to the Web.com Tour.
References
- "PGA Tour's China Series delayed due to issues". ESPN. Associated Press. 10 May 2017.
- "PGA Tour China ready to launch in 2018". PGA Tour. 24 October 2017.
- "PGA Tour to be part of new circuit in China". Golf Channel. 3 November 2013.
- "China Tour-PGA Tour China Series Announces First Portion of 2014 Schedule and Two Qualifying Sites". PGA Tour China. 29 January 2014. Archived from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
- Livsey, Laury (17 April 2014). "Zhang Makes History by Hitting First Tee Shot on PGA Tour China Series". PGA Tour. Archived from the original on 18 April 2014. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
- "The PGA Tour Sells Golf to China". Fortune. 25 October 2016.
- McCullagh, Kevin (10 January 2020). "PGA Tour Series-China 2020 calendar revealed". Sport Business.
- Stafford, Ali (11 March 2020). "Coronavirus: PGA Tour-Series China postpones four more events". Sky Sports.
- "Officials cancel the 2020 PGA Tour Series-China season". PGA Tour. 21 July 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- Williams, Julie (9 July 2020). "Report: China cancels all 2020 sports events, including two golf events". Golfweek (USA Today).
- "PGA Tour cancels China Series' Hong Kong event". ESPN. Associated Press. 23 September 2019.
- "McGreevy takes Order of Merit title as four others will join him on 2020 Korn Ferry Tour". PGA Tour Series–China. 14 October 2019.
- "2014 PGA Tour China Order or Merit". Archived from the original on 16 December 2014. Retrieved 8 December 2014.