Chinese youngster Guan Tianlang earns Masters berth

A 14-year-old Guan Tianlang earned his place at the Masters in April courtesy of a thrilling victory at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship

Augusta National 13th
Nick Bonfield
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Fourteen-year-old Chinese youngster Guan Tianlang is poised to become the youngest ever competitor in the Masters Tournament after winning the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship.

Guan, the youngest player in the field, returned a one-under-par 71 at Thailand's Amata Spring Country Club to win the tournament by one stroke.

As well as a Masters invite, the Chinese prodigy has secured a place in International Final Qualifying for the Open Championship.

Guan will be just 14 years, five months and 17-days-old when the Masters gets underway in April, some two years younger than Matteo Manassero, who competed in 2010 aged 16 after victory at the British Amateur Championship in 2009.

"I'm so excited. I'm really happy to become the youngest player at the Masters and looking forward to going there," said Guan.

"I don't know what's going to happen there, but I know I just want to do well.

"I've had my mum and dad supporting me all week, and they gave me a little bit of advice so I just want to thank them," he added, shortly after holing a five-foot putt on the 18th green and being embraced by his proud father.  

Guan is no stranger to the spotlight, becoming the youngest winner of the China Amateur Open last November and the youngest player to appear in a European Tour event at this year's Volvo China Open.

Nick Bonfield
Nick Bonfield
Features Editor

Nick Bonfield joined Golf Monthly in 2012 after graduating from Exeter University and earning an NCTJ-accredited journalism diploma from News Associates in Wimbledon. He is responsible for managing production of the magazine, sub-editing, writing, commissioning and coordinating all features across print and online. Most of his online work is opinion-based and typically centres around the Majors and significant events in the global golfing calendar. Nick has been an avid golf fan since the age of ten and became obsessed with the professional game after watching Mike Weir and Shaun Micheel win The Masters and PGA Championship respectively in 2003. In his time with Golf Monthly, he's interviewed the likes of Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Jose Maria Olazabal, Henrik Stenson, Padraig Harrington, Lee Westwood and Billy Horschel and has ghost-written columns for Westwood, Wayne Riley, Matthew Southgate, Chris Wood and Eddie Pepperell. Nick is a 12-handicap golfer and his favourite courses include Old Head, Sunningdale New, Penha Longha, Valderrama and Bearwood Lakes. If you have a feature pitch for Nick, please email nick.bonfield@futurenet.com with 'Pitch' in the subject line. Nick is currently playing: Driver: TaylorMade M1 Fairway wood: TaylorMade RBZ Stage 2 Hybrid: Ping Crossover Irons (4-9): Nike Vapor Speed Wedges: Cleveland CBX Full Face, 56˚, Titleist Vokey SM4, 60˚ Putter: testing in progress! Ball: TaylorMade TP5x

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