Playing out of the ninth-to-last twosome, World No. 126 Xinjun Zhang finished bogey-bogey en route to a 6-under-par 30-36=66 in the final round of the Houston Open to finish up his second appearance (CUT/2018) on 11-under 277, up 13 places to a career-best T4, three in arrears of overnight leader and champion Lanto Griffin, who shot 69.
The 32-year-old improves to 4-for-5 on the season with three top 25s, three straight, and two top 10s, joining a T7 two starts ago at the Safeway. This was his 36th career event and third top 10, eclipsing a previous-best T5 at the 2018 Corales. After opening with 67-76, one inside the cut line, he added 68 to begin T17 on 5-under, six back. On 10 (of 14) fairways and 14 greens in regulation, the China native and resident gained 0.793 strokes off-the-tee and 0.807 on approach. He rang up nine birdies at holes 1-4, 6, 8, 10, 13 and 16 (chip-in from 13'0"), five conventionally from between 13 and 29 feet, taking some luster off with three bogey-5s at 11, 17 and 18 (failed scrambles). Zhang registered 1.500 putts per GIR and 2.776 SG: Putting, wrapping the week with 23 birdies against eight bogeys and two doubles.