Zhou Xun Shu’s impressive 2007 campaign hit a high note at the China Tour’s stop in Guangdong — the province in which Zhou, formerly a security guard, first learned of golf … at the age of 25. At Dragon Lake Golf Club, outside of Guangzhou, Zhou finished eighth, his first top-10 finish and the best final ranking of his career. He earned RMB 13, 325 for his efforts and rose to No. 16 on the 2007 China Tour Order of Merit. He is No. 17 on the order of merit that includes all tournaments played in China in 2007. To attain pro player status (he is currently a pro coach), Zhou needs to finish in the top 12 of the China order of merit, or place in the top 3 in a single China Tour event. (There is also an annual test for pro player status, but it is extremely difficult — no one qualified this year.)
While happy to be in the top 10 in Guangzhou, Zhou couldn’t help but think things could have been much better. He worked at Dragon Lake for a year, and prior to the opening round said he expected to finish on the top 3 — he had a home course advantage (and he had hit a 4-under 68 during a practice round just two days before the tournament began).
But, with several friends watching him play, Zhou began the Guangzhou Leg with an 8-over 80, and in 83rd place was at risk of not making the weekend cut.
“I didn’t play very well the first round,” Zhou said. “But I just figured out what I was doing wrong and changed it.”
Zhou followed with rounds of 72, 70 and 69 to work his way back to the top of the leaderboard. View the tournament leaderboard here.
Photo by Peijin Chen
