"When I was 14 I was running track and cross country in school and doing my homework. There is no way I could have played on the PGA Tour must less The Masters at that age. What Tianlang has done by qualifying for The Masters at 14 is tremendous and he is a great putter."
-- Four-time Masters champion Tiger Woods on Tianlang Guan.
AUGUSTA, Ga. -- 4/11/13 --- If a 14-year-old middle schooler named Tianlang Guan of China was an America citizen he would be too young to drive (a car), couldn't vote in elections or not old enough to play on the high school golf team.
But he can drive (a golf ball) and will become the youngest Masters participant ever when he addresses the ball on the first tee today at 12:24 p.m. He will play with 1984 Masters champion Ben Crenshaw and Matteo Manassero.
Before this year, Manassero was the youngest golfer to play The Masters in 2010 at 16 and qualified by winning the British Amateur.
One of six amateurs in this year's field, Guan qualified for a trip to Augusta by winning the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship last November.
He joins Steven Fox (UTC, U.S. Amateur champion), Alan Dunbar (British Amateur Champion), Nathan Smith (U.S. Mid-Amateur champion), T.J. Vogel (U.S. Amateur Public Links) and Michael Weaver (U.S. Amateur runner-up.
While Guan is the youngest amateur, Smith is the oldest at 34 and the other four amateurs are in their early 20s.
A fast learner of the game, the Guangzhou, China resident won his age division (11-12) at the Junior World Golf Championship in 2011 and has helped create a nationwide interest in the sport.
Former British Open champion Greg Norman is an advisor the China national team with the goal of forming a competitive team for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil.
The 2013 Masters - Six Amateurs
*ALAN DUNBAR - Age: 22 ... Portrush, Northern Ireland
2012 British Amateur
Key Note: will turn pro after The Masters
*STEVEN FOX - Age: 22 ... Hendersonville, Tenn.
2012 U.S. Amateur Champion
College - U. of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Key Note: Fox is the second U. of Chattanooga golfer - Gibby Gilbert was the first (1971) - to participate in The Masters
*TIANLANG GUAN - Age: 14 ... Guangzhou, China
2012 Asian-Pacific Champion
Key Note: dad is a doctor and mother is an engineer
*NATHAN SMITH - Age:34 ... Pittsburgh, Pa.
2012 U.S. Mid Amateur Champion
Key Note: has won four Mid-Amateur titles; 2003, 2009-10, 2012
*T.J. VOGEL - Age: 22 ... Cooper City, Fla.
2012 U.S. Public Links Champion
Key Note: 201 National Collegiate runner-up in 2007
*MICHAEL WEAVER - Age: 21 ... Fresno, Calif.
2012 U.S. Amateur Runner-up
Key Note: could be back in Georgia in May with his Cal-Berkeley teammates for the NCAA championships in Atlanta
contact B.B. Branton at William.branton@comast.net
tees it up on the first