Beijing time, January 15 - The new year's Korn Ferry Tour will kick off this week at the Grand Exuma Bahamas Classic in Emerald Bay, where chinese players will start their dreams for the new year.
(Let's go again!) Dou Zecheng seven-minute documentary)
"Now, our goal is to promote golf in China... Even if it's a small contribution. It makes me feel that golf has meant more to us over the past few years. Dou Zecheng, 24, said.
The young and promising Chinese player will come to the Bahamas with compatriots Zhang Xinjun and Yuan Yichun, who will carry China's banner at this year's Glorious International Tour. The final destination is the PGA Tour. Zhang Xinjun and Dou Zecheng had previously made brief stops on the PGA Tour. This season's Korn Ferry Tour will give away 50 PGA Tour entry cards.
(Dou Chengze's final destination is the PGA Tour))
Chasing the American Dream means sacrificing 11,000 kilometers from home — Dou Zecheng temporarily lives in Dallas. The world of professional golf is sometimes lonely. But Dou Zecheng, who has won the Korn Ferry Tour twice, including the Bahamas, is determined to pay off again.
"The year before, when I was Chinese New Year's Eve, I went to a hot pot restaurant to eat alone, and there were many families around to celebrate the festival. The waiter asked me why I was alone, and at that moment I thought to myself, I am achieving a goal. If I didn't have a goal, I wouldn't want to come here, I would live in China. Dou Zecheng said.
"Everything we do here is because of golf. We compete on the tour, we try to make a living, and all of these factors weigh on us. The extra pressure meant we were starting further back than others. That's why it's important to have friends (Yuan Yechun and Zhang Xinjun) because they gave me a different perspective on things and taught me a lot of things. ”
(Dou Chengze, who became famous at a young age)
Dou Zecheng is a typical example of young fame. In 2016, as a teenager, he won four times on the PGA TOUR China Series and locked up the top spot in the gold medal before the end of the season. In 2017, he became the first Chinese mainland player to win on the Korn Ferry Tour, which earned him a PGA Tour entry card for the next season. His dreams are short-lived, and he has struggled to find his place in the competition with the stars.
"In the early years, I played very well," Dou said, "and the year I entered the PGA Tour, I started riding the roller coaster." There are many reasons, but at the end of the day, I'm not ready for the PGA TOUR. I didn't play well and lost my card. I had to go back to the Korn Ferry Tour and start over."
(Little Dou, come on!) ）
Dou Zecheng worked with the famous swing master Cameron McCormick, who was also the coach of the likes of Jordan Spieth and Daniel Berg, which benefited him a lot. The biggest takeaway was that he realized he needed to look forward in the game.
"There's one thing I've been thinking about... My skills have improved a lot, but why can't I play as explosively as I did when I was younger? "I used to compare my current swing to those times when I was playing very well, trying to restore that feeling." Then I thought, you just can't solve the problem in this way. You want to go back in time, but you're not that person anymore, both physically and mentally. ”
"Since I came to the U.S., the person who has helped me the most is the coach. He was the first person I asked for help with anything related to golf. He's worked with world-class players and he inspires me in solving problems. He told me not to compare myself to the previous ones, the current problem needs the latest solution. ”
He knows that with every swing, he represents Chinese. He hopes to find a way back to the PGA Tour to fight for victory. No Chinese mainland player has won the PGA Tour so far.
"When I was younger, my goal was to beat my peers. The moment I became a pro, it became my job to play golf and make a living for myself and my family. Now, my goal is to promote golf in China. For the upcoming season, I want to set my mind straight and play with the best mentality. He said.