WUHAN, China – Champion Justin Shin didn’t play Nos. 7-9 well this week, finishing his four rounds a cumulative 4-over there without a birdie. But he took care of business on the par-5 10th hole. On that hole, he was 5-under for the week, with three birdies and an eagle-3 in the second round.
Justin Shin’s victory is the first by a Canadian in Ping An Bank China Tour – PGA TOUR China Series’ history. This season, other wins have come from Josh Geary (New Zealand) and Shih Chang Chan (Chinese Taipei).
With Chinese Taipei’s Shih Chang Chan taking this week off, New Zealand’s Josh Geary moved back ahead on the Order of Merit. He leads Chan by ￥8,227. Geary earned ￥34,800 for his tie for ninth this week. With his victory Sunday, Justin Shin slid into the third position on the earnings’ chart. He’s made ￥243,480 this season.
The round of the day belonged to Canada’s Eugene Wong, shooting a 5-under 67, punctuated with a two-foot, 18th-hole birdie putt Sunday. Wong has made all three cuts this year, and his runner-up performance this week is his second top-10 of the year—to go with his tie for eighth at the season-opening Buick Open. He moved to fourth on the Order of Merit.
Gwowu Zhou picked up his career-best finish—a tie for 12th, after firing a 4-under 68 Sunday at Wuhan Yishan Golf Club. A year ago, in 10 Ping An Bank China Tour – PGA TOUR China Series’ starts, Zhou, a native of Guandong, had his best performance at the Earls Beijing Open when he tied for 19th.
Finland’s Teemu Putkonen had the best performance of his Ping An Bank China Tour – PGA TOUR China Series’ career this week, earning a tie for 12th. Putkonen, a native of Jarvenpaa, shot weekend rounds of 68-73 to earn the top-15. In his only other start this season, he missed the cut at The Eternal Courtyard Open in Zhengzhou.
Just like in the second round, the par-4 12th hole at Wuhan Yishan Golf Club played as the most-difficult on the final day, with a stroke average of 4.51—the same as in the second round. The 15th hole was the easiest Sunday, with the par-5 giving up 35 birdies and playing to a stroke average of 4.57. Champion Justin Shin played the 15th in 3-under for the week, with three birdies and a par in the last round.
Justin Shin is the first third-round leader to go on to victory this season after three tournaments. A year ago, 10 of the 12 champions were the 54-hole leaders.
Amateur Zihan She tied for fifth for his first career top-10 on the Ping An Bank China Tour – PGA TOUR China Series. He opened his season with a 69th-place showing at the Buick Open and a 65th-place performance at The Eternal Courtyard Open.