Chinese star－and his unorthodox playing style－set to light up PGA Tour

Yuan Yechun of China watches his tee shot on the first hole during the third round of the men's golf event at the 2020 Summer Olympics, July 31, 2021, in Kawagoe, Japan. (ANDY WONG / AP)

Once regarded as a "skinny kid" from Dalian, Carl Yuan Yechun will live out his dream when he tees off against the big boys in the season-opening Fortinet Championship in California on Thursday, becoming only the third Chinese mainland player to compete at golf's highest level as a new PGA Tour card holder.

And when it comes to swing style, Yuan is certainly not your typical golfer.

The 25-year-old earned his PGA Tour status via the recently concluded Korn Ferry Tour following an impressive campaign that featured one win and three runner-up outings to finish second in the rankings. Yuan will be joined in the new 2022-23 season by compatriot Marty Dou Zecheng, who returns for a second crack at the big league following a low-key debut in 2018. Zhang Xinjun is the other Chinese mainland golfer who has held a tour card, also in 2018.

Now that Yuan's golf journey has led him to the game's ultimate destination, he is not in a rush to attain quick success as he is aware the hard work which propelled him through the ranks must continue.

"I hope I can have a PGA Tour title within five years, and be in the world's top 30," he said thoughtfully. "The PGA Tour is a new platform, and I may need some time to get adapted."

Yuan's involvement in golf was largely due to the influence of his father, a businessman in the shipping trade in the northeastern port city of Dalian, Liaoning province.

The 25-year-old earned his PGA Tour status via the recently concluded Korn Ferry Tour following an impressive campaign that featured one win and three runner-up outings to finish second in the rankings

At age 7, Yuan tagged along when his father, Yuan Dahai, played casual rounds with friends. Dahai conceded he did not see any indication his only child would one day become a professional athlete.

"He was so curious about the golf course and my friends and I playing golf," he said. "He was running everywhere and when he got tired, he would lie on my golf bag. He was so small and skinny at that time, and my caddie would drag the golf bag and him along for 18 holes.

"We let him try golf as one of his activities which included table tennis and soccer. Carl was not outstanding compared to the other kids at that time. But he practiced hard according to his own rhythm. He really likes and enjoys golf."

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While Yuan received formal coaching during his youth, he has developed a unique swing and style which has made him somewhat of a social media sensation. Mostly, he produces a textbook, free-flowing swing, but on other occasions, his follow-through resembles a Shaolin martial arts master－producing a "helicopter" finish with his hands, or only has one leg on the ground as he whips the ball down the fairway.

His warm-up routine at the range includes a "hosel drill", which involves shanking shots on purpose to get his clubface square at impact. Fellow competitors often get thrown off watching Yuan warm up, but for the likeable Chinese it is simply a matter of trying to get his ball to the intended target as consistently as possible.

"I think everyone has his own style. My style and my swing fit my personality. I need to be comfortable when I swing. I follow my feelings, not those techniques, when I play," said Yuan, who represented China at the Tokyo Olympics.

"It is a little different, it gets the ball into the hole. For me, it's not really about a hard swing, more on how I get the ball from A to B and my body takes care of that. I'm not doing those swings intentionally. They just come out."

Carl Yuan poses with his father, Yuan Dahai, and mother, Li Xiaohui, back in 2011 after finishing third in his first junior event in the US at Black Bear Golf Club in Colorado. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)

A big step in Yuan's rapid development was his parents' decision to send him to Florida to study and pursue his golf dreams when he was 14. There were challenges growing up in a new environment thousands of miles away from home, including the language barrier, but Yuan, who now speaks fluent English, thrived and showed maturity beyond his years.

READ MORE: Yuan puts PGA ambitions on hold for Olympic duty

His mother, Li Xiaohui, recalls the drive Yuan showed from a very young age, and also spoke of his level-headed nature. "At that time, Carl was just taller than a golf club. Later we bought him a kid's 7-iron and sometimes he can hit between 600 to 800 balls. He told me the sound of a golf club hitting the ball is the most beautiful sound in the world," smiled Li.

"Carl never lost this passion, never gave up. He told his teacher in elementary school he wanted to drop some classes in the afternoon to practice his golf. Both the school and us supported him. He was also really good at solving problems by himself. When he was 12, he didn't play well in a tournament and I found him crying. Several days later, he told me 'Mom, don't worry about me, I found a way to handle pressure and I solved my problem'."

Yuan spent three years at the University of Washington which proved to be life-changing, both from a personal and professional standpoint. Aside from reinforcing his calling to make golf a career, he also met his wife, Cathy Luo Ying, who is also a professional golfer. They have since set up base in Jacksonville, Florida and are widely regarded as the "Dream Couple" among Chinese media.

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"I have my wife accompanying me for tournaments, and I discuss golf all the time with my wife. We are a team," said Yuan.

The Fortinet Championship will be played at Silverado Resort and Spa in Napa, California, from Thursday to Sunday.