Fortinet Championship: Marty Zecheng Dou feels ‘so much more confident’ as Chinese star kicks off second crack at PGA Tour
- ‘I feel every part of my game is ready,’ says Dou, who is back after rebuilding his game following an unforgettable debut season in 2018
- The 25-year-old, who is now based in Dallas, is ‘mentally more prepared’ – especially with ‘another Chinese buddy’ in Carl Yuan on Tour
Marty Zecheng Dou is ready to show he truly belongs among golf’s elite when he takes a second crack at the PGA Tour, starting with this week’s season-opening Fortinet Championship in Napa, California.
Dou endured a forgettable debut season in 2018, missing 17 cuts from 23 starts. But with more competitive golf miles in his legs, a permanent US base and added maturity, the 25-year-old believes he can finally make an impression as he and close friend Carl Yuan push each other to deliver China’s first winner on Tour.
“I feel so much more confident and comfortable coming out here now,” said Dou, who earned his PGA Tour card through the Korn Ferry Tour where he notched one win and five other top-10 finishes to end up fourth in the season-long points race.
“I feel every part of my game is ready. I’m just very excited. That year [2018], it feels like not knowing what to do coming out on Tour, but this year, I know I’m going to play good and find my way.”
Dou is among 50 Korn Ferry Tour graduates who have benefited from the grind and pressure-packed competition on the development circuit, which has unearthed the likes of current World No 1 and 2022 PGA Tour Player of the Year Scottie Scheffler.
The young Chinese has also developed more power in his game by hitting a driving average of 315 yards, which ranked him in the top 25 in the recent season. In 2017 when he first played his way onto the PGA Tour, Dou averaged 300 yards from off the tee.
