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The 41-year-old, a self-taught player who turned professional in 1994, made history by becoming the first Chinese player to compete in the US Masters at 2003
Zhang, then ranked 181st in the world, received a special invitation from Augusta National chairman Hootie Johnson.
Although he shot 77-72 and missed the cut by one shot, his presence in the world's most famous course showed that China, who has already been one of the superpowers in the Olympic sports, is catching up in golf.
Zhang became the first Chinese golfer to win a European PGA Tour event in 2003. He clinched the Singapore Masters by a stroke from South Africa's Ernie Els.
Golf in China has only developed in the past 20 years. In just 20 years, to put someone in the Masters is something the country is all proud of.
Zhang was introduced to the game when he was a javelin thrower at high school and was asked to work as a caddie for a Japanese man.
He rose to fame when he humbled Colin Montgomerie of the United States in the Dunhill Cup nations event in 1998. He was the fourth player to receive a special invitation since the US Masters changed its criteria five years ago to rely more heavily on the world ranking.
Zhang also captured the China Open, his fifth win in Asian, last year, and finished runner-up on the 2003 Order of Merit.
But except the historical debut in the US Master, Zhang achieved far less in 2004 than what he did last year.
He failed to retain titles in the Singapore Masters and China Open and ended the year without a title. He said it was because he had spent more time with his wife and their newly-born son.