Accolades
- Junior Amateur Player of the Year - 2023
- Futures Champion - 2022
For Darren's tournament results, please click here
2023 Junior Player of the Year
Darren Zhou racked up four Florida Junior Tour victories throughout the year, including two top-eight performances at state championships.
Thirteen-year old Zhou started off his year with a strong performance at the FJT University of Florida (13-15) Major, with scores of 73-70-71. From there it was off to the races, not finishing outside of the top two until May.
The summer began and Zhou wanted to test his luck against some of the best amateur players in the state at the 69th Boys' Junior Championship. His eighth-place finish after being the youngest player in the field, gave him the confidence he needed to begin competing in the older Boys’ Division.
He won his first Boys (16-18) event at the FJT New Smyrna Open in August.
Zhou qualified for his first USGA championship in June, earning medalist honors at the U.S. Junior Amateur qualifier at Bradenton Country Club with a 5-under 66. The China native was the youngest player in the U.S. Junior Amateur field at Daniel Island Club in July.
A third-place finish, an appearance at the U.S. Junior Amateur as the youngest player in the field, and two wins in the (16-18) division on the Florida Junior Tour earned the young Bradenton native his first Player of the Year Honors. But more notably, the youngest Boys’ Player of the Year in FSGA history.
“To win Player of the Year is amazing, but being the youngest in history to do so feels unreal,” Zhou said when he was first told about the honor.
