Chen Tze-ming (, 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.
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.
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. 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.
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. Chen turned professional later that same year. 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. 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). 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.
Tze-ming also won seven times on the Asia Golf Circuit and topped the tour's Order of Merit in 1985. 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. He now lives in Tokyo.
Professional wins (21) PGA of Japan Tour wins (9) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up129 Aug 1982KBC Augusta−7 (68-71-70=209)1 stroke Hal Sutton21 May 1983Chunichi CrownsE (71-67-71-71=280)Playoff Kikuo Arai, David Ishii320 Nov 1983Dunlop Phoenix Tournament−2 (74-71-71-70=286)Playoff Tom Watson426 May 1985Pepsi Ube Open−20 (65-71-66-66=268)4 strokes Katsunari Takahashi524 May 1987Pepsi Ube Open (2)−10 (69-72-70-67=278)Playoff Hiroshi Makino68 Mar 1992Daiichi Cup−11 (66-71-70-70=277)1 stroke Roger Mackay712 Apr 1992Pocari Sweat Open−11 (69-67-66=202)3 strokes Saburo Fujiki, Yoshinori Kaneko, Hirofumi Miyase, Kiyoshi Murota, Nobuo Serizawa, Koichi Suzuki, Akihito Yokoyama830 Aug 1992Daiwa KBC Augusta−12 (72-69-68-67=276)Playoff Bradley Hughes, Norikazu Kawakami96 Dec 1992Golf Nippon Series Hitachi Cup−8 (72-70-66-72=280)1 stroke Todd Hamilton
PGA of Japan Tour playoff record (4–0) No.YearTournamentOpponent(s)Result11983Chunichi Crowns Kikuo Arai, David IshiiWon with par on second extra hole21983Dunlop Phoenix Tournament Tom WatsonWon with par on first extra hole31987Pepsi Ube Open Hiroshi MakinoWon with birdie on first extra hole41992Daiwa KBC Augusta Bradley Hughes, Norikazu KawakamiWon with birdie on first extra hole
Asia Golf Circuit wins (7) No.DateTournamentWinning scoreMargin ofvictoryRunner(s)-up120 Apr 1980Korea Open−4 (68-72-74=214)1 stroke Choi Sang-ho, Hisao Inoue, Kim Suk-bong, Park Jung-woong, Yeom Se-woon21 Mar 1981Cathay Pacific Hong Kong OpenE (70-71-69-69=279)1 stroke Graham Marsh319 Apr 1981Korea Open (2)−3 (71-67-70-76=285)1 stroke Hsu Chi-san411 Apr 1982Taiwan Open +1 (69-72-75-73=289)2 strokes Chien Shun-lu (a), Kuo Chie-Hsiung527 Mar 1983Thailand Open−5 (70-73-68-72=283)1 stroke Lou Graham, Lu Chien-soon, Frankie Miñoza631 Mar 1985Singapore Open−10 (67-69-68-70=274)Playoff Greg Turner715 Mar 1987Thai International Thailand Open (2)−12 (70-66-70-66=272)Playoff Somsak Srisanga
Asia Golf Circuit playoff record (2–0) No.YearTournamentOpponentResult11985Singapore Open Greg TurnerWon with birdie on first extra hole21987Thai International Thailand Open Somsak SrisangaWon with birdie on third extra hole
Other wins (3) this list may be incomplete 1978 Malaysian Dunlop Masters (as an amateur) 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 Tournament198519861987198819891990199119921993Masters TournamentCUTU.S. OpenCUTThe Open ChampionshipCUTCUTCUTPGA ChampionshipT3CUT
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
References
External links
Profile on 2004 Senior PGA Championship site