‘Left out’ 4 years ago, golfer Sampson Zheng has eye on National Games, Olympics glory
The 24-year-old hopes to do better than former college roommate Aaron Du as he aims to help Shaanxi defend team title at November tournament
Four years ago, Sampson Zheng watched with a tinge of jealousy as his college roommate Aaron Du won bronze at the National Games in 2021. Next month, he will get a shot at winning a medal of his own.
The 24-year-old will be part of the Shaanxi squad attempting to successfully defend the team title they won at their home Xi’an Qinling International Golf Course.
Recruited by famed Chinese golfer Zhang Xinjun for November’s tournament at Hong Kong Golf Club, Zheng is originally from Tianjin, the province with which Du won a medal in the team competition four years ago.
With “no strict rules or obligations” regarding which province a player should represent, some like to support either their own state or play with friends.
“In my case, I kind of got recruited by Zhang,” Zheng said on Sunday after his final round at the Jakarta International Championship, where he finished in a tie for 19th. “They’re [Shaanxi] obviously pretty strong and have that championship blood in them.
“I did feel a little left out four years ago, so it’s nice to be part of a team.”