Monday qualifiers: Andy Zhang earns spot at Butterfield Bermuda Championship

Remember Andy Zhang?

In 2012, a 14-year-old Zhang burst onto the international golf scene when he became the youngest player to compete in the U.S. Open, eclipsing the prior mark set by Tadd Fujikawa (age 15, 2006). Zhang lost in a playoff at Final Qualifying but earned a tee time on Monday of tournament week after another player withdrew. Zhang, a China native who moved to Florida at age 10 to attend the IMG Academy, missed the cut at Olympic Club but generated buzz around his long-term potential. Zhang turned pro in 2018 after his sophomore season at the University of Florida, but he has made just two TOUR starts since his U.S. Open debut.

He'll add another this week. Zhang earned a spot at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship via the Monday qualifier (contested on Oct. 23), carding 6-under 66 and advancing in a playoff. Zhang has spent time this season on the Asian Development Tour, and he recently missed at First Stage of PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry. A big week in Bermuda, though, could perhaps spark a career renaissance.

Argentina native Martin Contini earned medalist honors at the Monday qualifier with an 8-under 64. Zhang, Danny Guise and Kyle Wilshire earned spots via a 5-for-3 playoff; the odd men out were Jimmy Jones and Alex Scott. The qualifier was contested at Omni ChampionsGate Resort (International) in Orlando, Florida.

For all scores from the Butterfield Bermuda Championship qualifier, click here.

Here's a capsule look at the four Monday qualifiers for the Butterfield Bermuda Championship, which will be contested at Port Royal Golf Course in Southampton, Bermuda.

Martin Contini (8-under 64)

Age: 28
Hometown: Tucuman, Argentina
PGA TOUR starts: 1
Cuts made: 1
Best PGA TOUR finish: T16, 2022 The Honda Classic

Notes: Made eight birdies and an eagle in qualifying round, offsetting two bogeys to earn his second TOUR start. Thrived in TOUR debut at last year’s Honda Classic, into which he also Monday qualified … Competed full-time on Korn Ferry Tour in 2023, making nine cuts in 25 starts and finishing No. 101 on Points List (the top 100 retained conditional status at minimum for 2024), then missed by one stroke at First Stage of PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry in October … Finished No. 88 on 2022 Korn Ferry Tour Points List with 10 made cuts in 23 starts, including two top-10s … Has made five cuts in 14 career PGA TOUR Latinoamerica starts.

Andy Zhang (6-under 66, advanced in playoff)

Age: 25
Hometown: Beijing, China
Alma mater: University of Florida
PGA TOUR starts: 3
Cuts made: 2
Best PGA TOUR finish: T23, 2019 Texas Children’s Houston Open

Notes: Made six birdies against no bogeys in qualifying round, then advanced via 5-for-3 playoff … Most recent TOUR start came at the 2020 Fortinet Championship; he made the cut and finished 71st … Qualified for the 2012 U.S. Open at age 14, becoming the youngest to qualify for the event … Began interested in golf at age 6; moved from Beijing to Florida at age 10 to pursue golf … Reached as high as No. 7 on World Amateur Golf Ranking … As a college sophomore in 2017-18, won the SEC Championship and was a finalist for the Fred Haskins Award as college player of the year. Turned pro after his sophomore season at Florida … Has competed on the Asian Development Tour in 2023, recording top-15 finishes in his last two starts.

Danny Guise (6-under 66, advanced in playoff)

Age: 28
Hometown: Greenwich, Connecticut
Alma mater: Wake Forest
PGA TOUR starts: 3
Cuts made: 0

Notes: Made seven birdies against one bogey to earn a spot in qualifier playoff … This marks his fourth successful Monday qualifier on TOUR in 2023; he’s still vying for his first made cut … Massive Bruce Springsteen fan; has attended 19 shows dating back to Madison Square Garden in 1999, when he was 4 years old … Grew up playing drums in a band which mostly covered rock hits … Played four years of varsity basketball at Greenwich (Conn.) High School … Was a teammate of Will Zalatoris while at Wake Forest.

Kyle Wilshire (6-under 66, advanced in playoff)

Age: 31
Hometown: Lexington, Kentucky
Alma mater: University of Central Florida
PGA TOUR starts: 3
Cuts made: 2
Best PGA TOUR finish: T62, 2021 Butterfield Bermuda Championship

Notes: Carded seven birdies against one bogey to earn a spot in qualifier playoff … Set to return to the site of his TOUR debut at the 2021 Butterfield Bermuda Championship, into which he also Monday qualified … Played the Korn Ferry Tour full-time in 2017, making 10 cuts in 22 starts and finishing No. 144 on the season-long standings … Has undergone multiple knee surgeries … Has spent time working as a dishwasher at his parents’ restaurant and as a trash porter … Notes in his PGATOUR.COM profile that he “has grown incredibly fond of the taste of coffee.”