There could soon be more Chinese playing on the world’s richest golf circuit after the US PGA Tour on Wednesday announced the relaunch of its China developmental tour.
PGA Tour China will begin again in spring 2018 and is designed to provide a pathway for Chinese players to the PGA Tour via the second-tier Web.com Tour in the United States.
Golf is booming in China and Dou Zecheng and Zhang Xinjun recently became the first players from the country to earn their PGA Tour playing cards.
The PGA Tour China Series began in 2014 as a route for Chinese prospects hoping to earn their PGA Tour cards and to help develop the sport in the country.
But that pathway — taken by Dou, Zhang and other rising stars in China — was ruptured this year amid suggestions of a disagreement behind the scenes between the USPGA and China Golf Association (CGA).
Any problems have been overcome and PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan said on Wednesday on the eve of the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai: “PGA Tour China will provide players a path to the PGA Tour through the Web.com Tour with the top-five money winners earning 2019 Web.com Tour membership.
“In addition, there will be at least 15 additional players who will have access to the latter stages of the Web.com Tour qualifying tournament.”
The CGA said the initiative will help China’s prospects of glory at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and is in line with a government drive to improve the health and fitness of its people.
The PGA Tour also runs similar circuits for Latin America and Canada.
