Guan Tianlang

Guan Tianlang (Chinese: 关天朗; pinyin: Guān Tiānlǎng; born 25 October 1998) is a Chinese amateur golfer.

Guan Tianlang
Personal information
Born (1998-10-25) 25 October 1998
Guangzhou, China
Height5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Nationality China
Career
CollegeUniversity of Arizona
StatusAmateur
Best results in major championships
Masters Tournament58th: 2013
PGA ChampionshipDNP
U.S. OpenDNP
The Open ChampionshipDNP
In this Chinese name, the family name is Guan.

Career

Guan qualified for the 2013 Masters Tournament by winning the 2012 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in Thailand. On 12 April 2013, he became the youngest player to make the cut in PGA Tour history and play in 2013 Masters. At 14 years, 5 months of age, Guan is the youngest to make the cut in a major championship.[1] Previously, the youngest was Italian Matteo Manassero, who did it at the 2009 Open Championship at 16 years, 2 months.[2]

Before the tournament, Guan played practice rounds with Ben Crenshaw and Tiger Woods, both of whom were full of praise for the youngster. Woods said, "It's frightening to think that he was born after I won my first Masters. I mean, that's just frightening. It's exciting that I have inspired kids to play and not just here in the States but obviously in China and around the world."[3]

Speaking of the experience, Guan said, "Each time I play with him I feel a lot better and give myself some confidence and it's very good. He told me a lot. We really enjoyed it on the golf course."[4][5]

Guan was given the first slow play penalty since Grégory Bourdy at the 2010 PGA Championship; the last time the PGA Tour utilized a slow-play penalty in a non-major was against Glen Day at the 1995 Honda Classic.[6]

Two weeks later he played in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans as a result of a sponsors exemption given to him by Zurich when he won the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship. Guan made the cut on the number (−3) thanks to rounds of 72 and 69. However he fell back on the weekend and finished dead last in the field (71st).

In a 2014 interview with Golf.com, Guan reflected on his experience at the 2013 Masters. "I absolutely enjoyed every second of it," Guan says of his experience at Augusta, where he finished 58th. "After it was over, it was a little bit overwhelming, but it didn't take me too long to go back to a normal life."[7]

He's been playing with the golf team of the University of Arizona since 2017.[8]

Amateur wins

Results in major championships
Tournament 2013
Masters Tournament 58LA
U.S. Open
The Open Championship
PGA Championship
  Did not play

LA = Low amateur

Team appearances

References
  1. Kelley, Brent. "Youngest Golfers to Make the Cut in a PGA Tour Tournament". About.com. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
  2. "14-year-old Guan Tianlang of China makes cut at Masters". WFTV TV. Archived from the original on 16 April 2013. Retrieved 12 April 2013.
  3. "Tiger Woods gives Augusta lesson to Chinese teen". BBC Sport. 11 April 2013. Retrieved 12 April 2013.
  4. "Masters 2013: Tiger Woods gives Augusta lesson to Chinese teen". BBC Sport. 9 April 2013. Retrieved 12 April 2013.
  5. "Impressive 73 for 14-Year-Old". The New York Times. 11 April 2013. Retrieved 12 April 2013.
  6. "14-year-old suffers slow-play penalty". PGA Tour. 12 April 2013. Retrieved 15 April 2013.
  7. McDowell, Coleman. "Masters 2014: What is Guan Tianlang Up To These Days?". Retrieved 9 April 2014.
  8. "Tianlang Guan – Bio". Arizone Wildcats. Retrieved 9 February 2018.
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