Zecheng Dou

Exempt status

• PGA TOUR: Top 50 from 2022 Korn Ferry Tour (thru 2022-23)

JOINED TOUR

• PGA TOUR China: 2014
• Korn Ferry Tour: 2015
• PGA TOUR: 2018

Korn Ferry Tour Victories (3)

2017 Season

• Digital Ally Open

2019 Season

• The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic at Sandals Emerald Bay

2022 Season

• The Ascendant presented by Blue

PGA Tour China Series Victories (4)

2016 Season

• United Investment Real Estate Open
• Yulongwan Yunnan Open
• Henan Open
• Nanjing Open

PLAYOFF RECORD

KORN FERRY TOUR (0-1)

• 2022 Lost to Brandon Harkins, The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club

(1-1)

• 2015 Lost to Haimeng Chao, Nine Dragons Open
• 2016 Defeated Xinjun Zhang, Henan Open

National Teams

• 2014 Summer Youth Olympics
• 2014 Asian Games
• 2014 Eisenhower Trophy

Personal

• Picked up the game at age 6 while living in Canada with his parents and older sister.
• Favorite sports team is the Golden State Warriors.

Special Interests

• Gaming

Career Highlights

2022 Season

Secured a return to the PGA TOUR, graduating via the Korn Ferry Tour regular season for the second time in his career (previously 2017). Collected his third career victory at The Ascendant presented by Blue and finished No. 4 on the season-long Korn Ferry Tour Eligibility Points List off the strength of his win, a runner-up finish at The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club, and solo-third at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship as part of the Korn Ferry Tour Finals. Ranked seventh on Tour in birdie average.

• Nationwide Children's Hospital Championship: Opened with three consecutive 4-under 67s and with a 1-under 70, totaling 13-under 271 for solo-third, his third podium finish of the season, at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship.
• The Ascendant presented by Blue: Only player in the field who recorded four rounds in the 60s as he totaled 17-under 271 with rounds of 69-67-68-67 for a one-stroke victory at The Ascendant presented by Blue. The win was the third of his career and first since 2019. Made five birdies in an eight-hole stretch (Nos. 9, 10, 13, 15, 16) and held on for the win despite an errant drive into a fairway bunker which led to a bogey on the 72nd hole.
• Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation: Rounds of 69-66-68 put him one stroke off the 54-hole lead, but an even-par 72 in the final round left him at 13-under 275 for a T5, his third top-five finish of the season, at the Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation.
• The Panama Championship: Placed T5 for a second consecutive top-five, as he posted rounds of 69-67-71-68 for a 5-under 275 at The Panama Championship.
• The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club: Held the solo 54-hole lead and appeared poised to win, but bogeyed two of the final three holes of regulation and hit consecutive balls into the penalty area on the second playoff hole, ultimately finishing solo second to Brandon Harkins. He converted his previous two outright 54-hole leads into victories on the Korn Ferry Tour. Totaled an 18-under 270 with rounds of 69-66-66-69 at The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club.

2021 Season

Posted 13 top-25s and five top-10s in 37 Korn Ferry Tour starts across the 2020-21 combined season, which saw him finish No. 33 in the regular season points standings. Best finish of the season was a T2 at the 2021 Pinnacle Bank Championship presented by Aetna, where he finished one stroke behind the champion.

• Pinnacle Bank Championship presented by Aetna: Posted rounds of 69-66-69-67, including a 3-under 32 on the back nine in the final round, and totaled a 13-under 271 for a T2 at the Pinnacle Bank Championship presented by Aetna.
• Club Car Championship at The Landings Club: Carded a 6-under 66 in the third round and earned a spot in Sunday’s final group, finished the week T7 at 14-under 274 at The Landings Club.

2020 Season

• Wichita Open Supporting Wichita's Youth: Held a share of the opening-round lead at the Wichita Open Supporting Wichita's Youth after opening with a first-round 63. Finished the week T5 at 13-under 267.
• Lincoln Land Championship presented by LRS: Carded four rounds in the 60s to finish T7 at 16-under 268 at the Lincoln Land Championship presented by LRS.
• Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance: Spurred by weekend rounds of 67-65, finished the week T9 at the Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance at 14-under 274.

2019 Season

Finished the season at No. 28 on the Regular Season points list. Recorded two top-10 finishes in 24 starts, including a win at The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic at Sandals Emerald Bay. Finished T57 in the Korn Ferry Tour Finals. Played in one PGA TOUR Series-China event late in the year, in Macau. Finished second in his first Series appearance since 2016.

• Macau Championship: Finished solo second in his sole PGA TOUR Series-China event of 2019. The Korn Ferry Tour player was in the field to prepare for the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions in Shanghai. After opening rounds of 69-66, continued to close the gap on 36- and 54-hole leader Justin Shin. Shot a third round, 9-under 62 and then closed with a 65 to finish three shots behind Shin.
• TPC Colorado Championship at Heron Lakes: Carded a final-round 66 – including a hole-out eagle at the 17th – to finish T7 at the TPC Colorado Championship at Heron Lakes. The top-10 was his second of the season and his first since winning the season-opening event.
• The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic at Sandals Emerald Bay: Won the first event of the 2019 season in emphatic fashion, sinking a 50-foot birdie putt at the 72nd hole to claim a two-stroke victory at 18-under 270. Birdied the final three holes for the come-from-behind win, finishing with a final-round 2-under 70.

2018 Season

• Zurich Classic of New Orleans: At the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, playing with fellow Chinese player Xinjun Zhang, shot a 12-under 60 in the first round to hold a share of the lead but followed with an 80 to miss the cut. Only Retief Goosen/Tyrone Van Aswegen (60/R2/2017) and Kevin Kisner/Scott Brown (60/R4/2017) had previously shot 60-or-better in Four-ball at the event

2017 Season

Finished the Korn Ferry Tour season with 25 starts, one win and 14 cuts made. Was 38th on the final priority-ranking order. Secured his PGA TOUR card for the 2017-18 season with a 16th-place finish on the 2017 Korn Ferry Tour Regular Season money list. Became the first player from China to earn a PGA TOUR card (along with Xinjun Zhang).

• Digital Ally Open: Posted rounds of 65-67-61-66--259 (25-under) to win the Digital Ally Open by three shots over Kyle Thompson, Luke Guthrie and Billy Kennerly. With the win, became the first Chinese-born player to win on the Korn Ferry Tour and secure a PGA TOUR card. Posted his closing rounds of 61-66 in a 36-hole marathon after weather affected the start of play earlier in the week.
• The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club: Recorded a career-best, solo-third finish at The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club with rounds of 67-69-73-67. Played in the final threesome over the closing 36 holes of the event.

2016 Season

Won the PGA TOUR Series-China Order of Merit and earned his Korn Ferry Tour card for the 2017 season. Won four tournaments and logged another four top-10 finishes in 13 starts. Played in the second PGA TOUR event of his career, finishing T51 at the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions.

• Putian Open: Could only muster a T9 in mid-November. But his ?33,600 payday was enough for him to clinch the Order of Merit with two tournaments still to play.
• Pingan Bank Open: Was never in serious contention in Beijing in mid-September. Yet, still cobbled four under-par rounds together, including a second-round 65, to finish fifth at Topwin G&CC, five shots behind winner Charlie Saxon.
• Yulongwan Yunnan Open: Continued his amazing run after the seven-week summer break. Turned in a sterling performance in Yunnan. Opened 65-66 and was tied for fourth through 36 holes, three shots shy of leaders Paul Imondi and Shunyat Hak. Took control of the tournament Saturday, firing an 8-under 63 to open a three-shot lead with 18 holes to play. Held a four-stroke cushion for much of the final round. An afternoon lightning storm derailed his momentum, delaying play for more than three hours. Bogeyed his first hole when play resumed, No. 12, but then got things back on track and birdied his final three holes to cruise to a three-shot triumph over Charlie Saxon. He earned ?216,000 for the title, giving him ?1,002,720 for the year—the first player in the Series’ history to surpass the seven-figure mark in season earnings.
• Nanjing Open: His dominant season continued as he won in come-from-behind fashion. Began the final round tied for third, two shots behind third-round leader Yi Keun Chang. Stepped to the 18th green Sunday holding a share of the lead with Thailand's Gunn Charoenkul. Playing the par-4 final hole, he hit his approach shot 25 yards over the green and into a hospitality pavilion. He received a free drop and then chipped, leaving himself a five-foot par putt, which he made. Meanwhile, Charoenkul was 25 feet from the hole after his second shot, facing a birdie putt for the win. Charoenkul three-putted for bogey.
• Lanhai Open: Made what seemed like a disappointing but innocuous birdie on the 18th hole Saturday to close the third round in June. The bogey dropped him to 9-under, a stroke behind 54-hole leader Rohan Blizard. When heavy rain hit the Shanghai area Sunday, officials eventually had to cancel the final round, awarding the title to Blizard. The second-place finish was his first since a playoff loss to Haimeng Chao at the 2015 Nine Dragons Open. Was his fourth top-10 of the season in four starts and seventh top-10 in a row dating to 2015.
• United Investment Real Estate Open: In late-May, took control of the tournament with a third-round 65 that gave him a four-shot lead heading into Sunday at Yishan GC. Played steady golf all day Sunday, making two birdies and a bogey for a 1-under 71 and a five-shot triumph over Zihao Chen. Became the third player from China with multiple PGA TOUR Series-China victories, joining Haotong Li and Xinjun Zhang.
• Henan Open: Finally broke through and won on PGA TOUR Series-China, capturing the season-opening event in a two-hole playoff over countryman Xinjun Zhang. Entered the final round at St. Andrews GC with a six-stroke lead but slowly watched it disappear. Stood on the 72nd hole tied with Zhang, with both players making par. On the first playoff hole, No. 18, both players made par, with Zhang making a 12-footer to keep the extra session going. On the second playoff hole—again on No. 18—he hit his second-shot approach on the par-4 into the right rough, with an uphill lie. Zhang, meanwhile, faced a 105-foot birdie putt. After knocking his pitch to three feet, he watched Zhang leave his birdie effort 10 feet short. Zhang missed, and he was able to calmly roll in his par putt for the win.

2015 Season

Made a late-season push, recording three consecutive top-three finishes to move inside the top five on the PGA TOUR Series-China Order of Merit to earn 2016 Korn Ferry Tour membership and Rookie of the Year honors. His seven top-10s were the most on Tour during the season. Ended the year No. 4 on the Order of Merit, knocking Justin Shin out of the top five after the season-ending tournament.

• Capital Airline HNA Real Estate Championship: Played clutch golf all week at the season-ending and saved his best for last, shooting a final-round, 5-under 66 to finish solo third and earn ?81,600. Finished three shots behind winner Zeyu He but earned enough money to slide into the fourth position on the Order of Merit after beginning the week at No. 6.
• Hainan Open: Had a second consecutive close call only to once again come up short. Took a share of the 54-hole lead into the final round in late-November. Tied with Mu Hu following rounds of 69-76-70 at windswept Dragon Valley GC, held a two-shot lead midway through the back nine only to take a triple bogey 7 at the 15th hole. Cut leader Huilin Zhang’s lead to one with a birdie on No. 17, but then missed a chip for birdie on 18 that would have forced a playoff. Settled for a T3 when he missed his par effort.
• Nine Dragons Open: Was a tough-luck runner-up at the Nine Dragons GC in mid-November. Enjoyed four under-par rounds, the only player in the field with that distinction. His final-round 69 was enough to force a playoff with countryman Haimeng Chao. In the sudden-death extra session on Nine Dragons’ No. 18, hit his second shot into the hazard, incurring a one-stroke penalty. Eventually conceded the hole when Chao had a tap-in-length putt for par, a score he could not match. It was his third top-five of the season and his second runner-up showing to go with his 2014 Buick Open second-place finish when he was still an amateur.
• Lushan Open: Entered the final round in mid-October tied for 10th and moved up three places on the final day with a 2-under 68. Couldn’t gather any momentum after a birdie on No. 9 on the final day, making nine consecutive pars to complete his round. Finished five shots behind winner Bryden Macpherson.
• Cadillac Championship: Notched his third top-10 of the season when he finished fifth in Beijing in mid-September. Four under-par rounds—68-71-67-71—left him five shots short of winner Bryden Macpherson.
• The Eternal Courtyard Open: Took a share of the 36-hole lead in May and was only a stroke behind leader John DelPrete with 18 holes to play after an even-par 72 Saturday. Matched that score Sunday, with a double bogey-7 on the par-5 10th hole his undoing. Did not make a birdie on his final nine holes after making three on the front nine Sunday. Finished T6 with three others.
• Buick Open: Played in his second PGA TOUR Series-China event as a professional and made it a successful one, finishing T4 at Mission Hills GC in early April. Was 1-over at the 36-hole mark then took advantage of a 5-under 67 to move into contention with a round to play. Couldn’t make a Sunday charge, settling for an even-par 72 and a T4 finish with John Yong Kim and Yi Cao, four shots behind champion Josh Geary.

2014 Season

• World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions: Made his professional debut, playing in Shanghai in November. Finished T69 at Sheshan International GC.

Amateur Highlights

• Had an impressive 2011 American Junior Golf Association season, recording two runner-up finishes—at the W. Duncan MacMillan Classic at Rush Creek and the Genesis Junior Championship, thanks to a final-round 65. Added third-place showings at the Junior Challenge and the Emerson Junior Golf Classic.
• Won in 2012 on the FootJoy Tour, at the 36-hole event in Brooksville, Fla. Shot rounds of 66-69 to outlast Jeffrey Meltzer by a shot.
• Enjoyed four top-10 finishes in 2013, playing a worldwide schedule of both professional and amateur events. At the Western Junior at Meridian Hills CC in Indianapolis, finished T5 with Theo Humphrey, Jonah Texeira and countryman Andy Zhang.
• Picked up his third consecutive low-amateur honors and his second top-five performance when he finished T5 at the 2014 Lanhai Open outside Shanghai in early June. Opened with three consecutive 2-under 70s before shooting an even-par 70 to finish at 6-under.
• Shot four under-par rounds at the 2014 Buick Open and contended all week before finally finishing solo second to winner Sam Chien, who won the tournament by three shots. Became the low amateur for a second consecutive tournament.
• Playing on a sponsor’s exemption, was the low amateur at the 2014 PGA TOUR China Series’ inaugural tournament, the 2014 Mission Hills Haikou Open. Enjoyed a 3-under 69 on the final day at the Sandbelt Trails Course to T26.
• In his final start as an amateur, played in the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship in Melbourne, Australia. Finished fifth.