Chen Tze-ming

{{short description|Taiwanese professional golfer}} {{family name hatnote|Chen|lang=Chinese}} {{use dmy dates|date=January 2020}} {{Infobox golfer | name = Chen Tze-ming | image = | imagesize =  | caption = | fullname = | nickname = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1952|9|28|df=y}} | birth_place = Taipei, Taiwan | death_date =  | death_place = | height = {{height|m=1.74|precision=0}} | weight = {{convert|73|kg|lb st|abbr=on}} | nationality = {{TWN}} | residence = | spouse = | partner = | children = | college = | yearpro = 1978 | retired =  | tour = | extour = Japan Golf Tour Asia Golf Circuit | prowins = 21 | japwins = 9 | otherwins = 10 (regular) 2 (senior) | majorwins =  | masters = CUT: 1986 | usopen = CUT: 1986 | open = CUT: 1985, 1987, 1993 | pga = T3: 1985 | wghofid =  | wghofyear =  | award1 = Asia Golf Circuit Order of Merit winner | year1 = 1985 | award2 = | year2 = | awardssection =  }} '''Chen Tze-ming''' ({{zh|t=陳志明}}, born 28 September 1952) is a Taiwanese professional golfer who has played on the PGA Tour, Japan Golf Tour, Asia Golf Circuit, Asian Tour and the European Tour. In the U.S., he is often referred to as '''T.M. Chen'''. His younger brother, Chen Tze-chung, is also a professional golfer who has won tournaments on the Japanese, Asian and American tours.<ref name=sijun86>{{cite magazine |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1064936/index.htm |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130120015531/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1064936/index.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=20 January 2013 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |title=Golf's own Chen Dynasty |last=Ballard |first=Sarah |date=16 June 1986 |accessdate=18 June 2012}}</ref>

For his country, Chen represented Taiwan at the 1974 Eisenhower Trophy, a world amateur team tournament, and then again in 1976, playing with his brother as Tze-ming posted the lowest individual score at +1. Chen also represented Taiwan as a professional in the 1979 World Cup, and in 1985 and 1994 at the Alfred Dunhill Cup tournament, a country-based team golf competition, again playing alongside his brother.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92449201/the-province/ |title=Dunhill Cup |newspaper=The Province |location=Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |date=18 October 1985 |page=84 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92448810/pittsburgh-post-gazette/ |title=Dunhill Cup rosters |newspaper=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |location=Pennsylvania |date=14 September 1994 |page=D-2 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref>

== Early life == Chen was born in Linkou District, Taipei City, in northern Taiwan. His grandfather farmed the land that would become the Linkou International Golf Club and his father worked as a greenskeeper at the club.<ref name=sijun86/> Picking up golf at a young age, his younger brother Tze-chung then followed Tze-ming and picked up the game in his teens, with the brothers often playing together on tour and together in team competitions for Taiwan over their careers.<ref name=sijun86/>

== Professional career == Chen gained early notice at the 1978 Malaysian Dunlop Masters, winning by a record 15 strokes, but due to his amateur status, runner-up Simon Owen took home the prize money.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92448000/the-town-talk/ |title=Golf |newspaper=The Town Talk |location=Alexandria, Louisiana |date=13 March 1978 |page=A11 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref> Chen turned professional later that same year.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.golfstats.com/search/?player=T.M.+Chen&career=&chart=&box=&tour=&tournament=&yr=&submitted=go |title=Career Stats for T.M. Chen |website=www.golfstats.com}}</ref> As a professional, he won nine tournaments on the Japan Golf Tour, with four of those victories coming in 1992 when he finished third on the end of year money list.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.jgto.org/pc/TourStatsEng.do?selectYear=1992 |title=1992 Tournament Stats |publisher=Japan Golf Tour |accessdate=19 February 2020}}</ref> His best finish in a major was a tie for 3rd in the 1985 PGA Championship, with a stellar final round 65 (281 overall, 3 strokes behind winner Hubert Green).<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92448571/record-journal/|title=Green subdues Trevino in PGA |newspaper=Record-Journal |location=Meriden, Connecticut |agency=UPI |date=12 August 1985 |page=9 |via=newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://golfmajorchampionships.com/players?player=2787 |publisher=Golf Major Championships |title=TM Chen }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92794250/fort-worth-star-telegram/ |title=New Chen makes impressive show |newspaper=Fort Worth Star-Telegram |location=Texas |first=Tom |last=Andrew |date=12 August 1985 |page=2C |via=newspapers.com}}</ref> Of note, the Chen family dominated the final round as the second highest score belonged to his brother Tze-chung, who shot a 66 and finished tied for 23rd.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.golfcompendium.com/2018/10/1985-pga-championship.html |title=1985 PGA Championship Results |website=GolfCompendium}}</ref>

Tze-ming also won seven times on the Asia Golf Circuit and topped the tour's Order of Merit in 1985.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article122475714 |title=Norman claims a $225,000 pot The 'Great White Shark' skins his better-fancied rivals |newspaper=The Canberra Times |location=Australian Capital Territory, Australia |date=29 April 1985 |accessdate=19 February 2020 |page=22 |via=Trove}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.owgr.com/en/Ranking/PlayerProfile.aspx?playerID=468 |title=Chen Tze-Ming |publisher=Official World Golf Ranking}}</ref> As a senior, Chen won the 2002 Japan PGA Senior Championship.

== Personal life == Chen and his brother have run and coached in the junior program at the Linkou Golf Club in Taipei City.<ref>{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.golfdigest.com/story/gw20080321lee |title=Double Trouble |first=David |last=Lee |magazine=Golf Digest |date=18 March 2008}}</ref> He now lives in Tokyo.

==Professional wins (21)== ===PGA of Japan Tour wins (9)=== {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;" !No.!!Date!!Tournament!!Winning score!!Margin of victory!!Runner(s)-up |- |align=center|1 |align=right|29 Aug 1982 |KBC Augusta |−7 (68-71-70=209){{efn|name=weather|Shortened to 54 holes due to weather.}} |1 stroke |{{flagicon|USA}} Hal Sutton |- |align=center|2 |align=right|1 May 1983 |Chunichi Crowns |E (71-67-71-71=280) |Playoff |{{flagicon|JPN|1870}} Kikuo Arai, {{flagicon|USA}} David Ishii |- |align=center|3 |align=right|20 Nov 1983 |Dunlop Phoenix Tournament |−2 (74-71-71-70=286) |Playoff |{{flagicon|USA}} Tom Watson |- |align=center|4 |align=right|26 May 1985 |Pepsi Ube Open |−20 (65-71-66-66=268) |4 strokes |{{flagicon|JPN|1870}} Katsunari Takahashi |- |align=center|5 |align=right|24 May 1987 |Pepsi Ube Open (2) |−10 (69-72-70-67=278) |Playoff |{{flagicon|JPN|1870}} Hiroshi Makino |- |align=center|6 |align=right|8 Mar 1992 |Daiichi Cup |−11 (66-71-70-70=277) |1 stroke |{{flagicon|AUS}} Roger Mackay |- |align=center|7 |align=right|12 Apr 1992 |Pocari Sweat Open |−11 (69-67-66=202){{efn|name=weather}} |3 strokes |{{flagicon|JPN|1870}} Saburo Fujiki, {{flagicon|JPN|1870}} Yoshinori Kaneko, {{flagicon|JPN|1870}} Hirofumi Miyase, {{flagicon|JPN|1870}} Kiyoshi Murota, {{flagicon|JPN|1870}} Nobuo Serizawa, {{flagicon|JPN|1870}} Koichi Suzuki, {{flagicon|JPN|1870}} Akihito Yokoyama |- |align=center|8 |align=right|30 Aug 1992 |Daiwa KBC Augusta |−12 (72-69-68-67=276) |Playoff |{{flagicon|AUS}} Bradley Hughes, {{flagicon|JPN|1870}} Norikazu Kawakami |- |align=center|9 |align=right|6 Dec 1992 |Golf Nippon Series Hitachi Cup |−8 (72-70-66-72=280) |1 stroke |{{flagicon|USA}} Todd Hamilton |}

'''PGA of Japan Tour playoff record (4–0)''' {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;" !No.!!Year!!Tournament!!Opponent(s)!!Result |-style="background:#D0F0C0;" |align=center|1 |1983 |Chunichi Crowns |{{flagicon|JPN|1870}} Kikuo Arai, {{flagicon|USA}} David Ishii |Won with par on second extra hole |-style="background:#D0F0C0;" |align=center|2 |1983 |Dunlop Phoenix Tournament |{{flagicon|USA}} Tom Watson |Won with par on first extra hole |-style="background:#D0F0C0;" |align=center|3 |1987 |Pepsi Ube Open |{{flagicon|JPN|1870}} Hiroshi Makino |Won with birdie on first extra hole |-style="background:#D0F0C0;" |align=center|4 |1992 |Daiwa KBC Augusta |{{flagicon|AUS}} Bradley Hughes, {{flagicon|JPN|1870}} Norikazu Kawakami |Won with birdie on first extra hole |}

===Asia Golf Circuit wins (7)=== {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;" !No.!!Date!!Tournament!!Winning score!!Margin of victory!!Runner(s)-up |- |align=center|1 |align=right|20 Apr 1980 |Korea Open |−4 (68-72-74=214){{efn|name=weather}} |1 stroke |{{flagicon|KOR|1949}} Choi Sang-ho, {{flagicon|JPN|1870}} Hisao Inoue, {{flagicon|KOR|1949}} Kim Suk-bong, {{flagicon|KOR|1949}} Park Jung-woong, {{flagicon|KOR|1949}} Yeom Se-woon |- |align=center|2 |align=right|1 Mar 1981 |Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Open |E (70-71-69-69=279) |1 stroke |{{flagicon|AUS}} Graham Marsh |- |align=center|3 |align=right|19 Apr 1981 |Korea Open (2) |−3 (71-67-70-76=285) |1 stroke |{{flagicon|TWN}} Hsu Chi-san |- |align=center|4 |align=right|11 Apr 1982 |Taiwan Open | +1 (69-72-75-73=289) |2 strokes |{{flagicon|TWN}} Chien Shun-lu (a), {{flagicon|TWN}} Kuo Chie-Hsiung |- |align=center|5 |align=right|27 Mar 1983 |Thailand Open |−5 (70-73-68-72=283) |1 stroke |{{flagicon|USA}} Lou Graham, {{flagicon|TWN}} Lu Chien-soon, {{flagicon|PHI|1936}} Frankie Miñoza |- |align=center|6 |align=right|31 Mar 1985 |Singapore Open |−10 (67-69-68-70=274) |Playoff |{{flagicon|NZL}} Greg Turner |- |align=center|7 |align=right|15 Mar 1987 |Thai International Thailand Open (2) |−12 (70-66-70-66=272) |Playoff |{{flagicon|THA}} Somsak Srisanga |}

'''Asia Golf Circuit playoff record (2–0)''' {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;" !No.!!Year!!Tournament!!Opponent!!Result |-style="background:#D0F0C0;" |align=center|1 |1985 |Singapore Open |{{flagicon|NZL}} Greg Turner |Won with birdie on first extra hole |-style="background:#D0F0C0;" |align=center|2 |1987 |Thai International Thailand Open |{{flagicon|THA}} Somsak Srisanga |Won with birdie on third extra hole |}

===Other wins (3)=== :''this list may be incomplete'' *1978 Malaysian Dunlop Masters (as an amateur)<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/42270875/standardspeaker/ |title=Wins Indians Open |date=1978-03-13 |newspaper=Hazleton Standard-Speaker |location=Pennsylvania |access-date=2020-01-17 |page=28}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article250162273 |title=Top Man Puts 'Moresby' In Big Time |date=1978-06-08 |newspaper=Papua New Guinea Post-Courier |access-date=2020-01-17 |page=28}}</ref> *1985 Rolex Masters (Singapore) *1987 Rolex Masters (Singapore)

===Senior wins (2)=== ''this list may be incomplete'' *2002 Japan PGA Senior Championship *2003 Castle Hill Open

==Results in major championships== {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;" !Tournament !1985 !1986 !1987 !1988 !1989 !1990 !1991 !1992 !1993 |- |align=left|Masters Tournament |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |CUT |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |- |align=left|U.S. Open |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |CUT |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |- |align=left|The Open Championship |CUT |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |CUT |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |CUT |- |align=left|PGA Championship |style="background:yellow;"|T3 |CUT |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |} {{legend|yellow|Top 10}} {{legend|#eeeeee|Did not play}} CUT = missed the half-way cut (3rd round cut in 1985 Open Championship) "T" = tied

==Team appearances== ''this list may be incomplete''

'''Amateur''' *Eisenhower Trophy (representing Taiwan): 1974, 1976 (individual leader, tie)

'''Professional''' *Dunhill Cup (representing Taiwan): 1985, 1994 *World Cup (representing Taiwan): 1979

==Notes== {{notelist}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{JapanTour player|10008}} *{{OWGR|468}} *[http://www.pga.com/seniorpga/2004/scoring/profiles/093.html Profile on 2004 Senior PGA Championship site]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chen, Tze-ming}} Category:Taiwanese male golfers Category:Japan Golf Tour golfers Category:Asian Tour golfers Category:Golfers from Taipei Category:1952 births Category:Living people