Rookie professional Charlie Dann has shown that playing for money on Sundays holds no fear as he rocketed into a tie for seventh at the PGA TOUR Series-China in Chongqing.

The Sunshine Coast product only made the decision to leave the amateur ranks at the end of 2018 and with only conditional status in China had to play his way into the tournament via the Monday qualifier where he finished second.

He carried that form into the opening round where he posted a 4-under 69 and then registered the first top-10 result of his professional career with a 6-under par round of 67, storming home with five birdies in his final eight holes.

Coached by Grant Field, Dann only made the decision to attend qualifying in China after the urging of good friends and PGA TOUR Series-China tournament winners Daniel Nisbet and James Marchesani and is thus far very happy with the decision he made.

“It’s a little cheaper to come to from Australia, and Canada was going to be quite expensive,” said Dann, who had originally considered playing the Mackenzie Tour in Canada in his rookie season.

“I think this country suits my game. It’s a good starting-out year.

“This year I’m just ready for a roller-coaster ride.

“I like the people here. They’re nice. I struggle with the food a little, which I’m adapting to, but I think that’s normal for a first-timer.

“My goal is to get my (money) ranking up in these first three (tournaments) so I can try to get in the rest of the tournaments this year.”

The opening event in China for the year was a positive one for a number of Aussies with Chris Wood finishing level with Dann in a tie for seventh at 14-under par and Bryden Macpherson a further shot back in a tie for 13th, the tournament won by Japan’s Taihei Sato in a playoff.

Max McCardle was tied for second through 36 holes but played the weekend in even par to finish tied for 19th while New Zealand’s Ryan Chisnall was four shots behind McCardle in a tie for 38th.

Chongqing Championship
Chongqing Poly Golf Club, Chongqing, China
T7           Charlie Dann                      69-73-69-67—278
T7           Chris Wood                        71-68-71-68—278
T13        Bryden Macpherson         71-68-71-69—279
T19        Max McCardle                   68-67-74-72—281
T38        Ryan Chisnall                     72-67-74-72—285
MC         Kevin Yuan                         73-72—145
MC         Tim Stewart                       72-74—146
MC         James Marchesani            75-73—148
MC         Michael Willis                    77-76—153
MC         Corey Hale                         82-71—153