Chinese amateur sensation Tialang Guan heads back to school after again having created history in becoming the youngest ever ‘Low Amateur’ winner at the Masters.
The 14-year old wrote a new chapter last Thursday in Augusta National’s history book in being the youngest to tee-up at Augusta National.
And then despite a two-stroke penalty for slow-play late in his round on Friday, Guan saw off his other five amateur colleagues who all missed the cut to be assured of the award.
“It’s been such a great week for me and I enjoy it so far and learned a lot,” he said
Tialang Guan heads back to school with Masters Low Amateur award.
There was a standing ovation for Guan as he walked from the course despite a final round 75 to finish in in 58th place with a 12-over par tally.
But in making the cut also he upstaged many of his more fancied rivals who sat out the weekend rounds.
They included ‘Miracle and Medinah’ stars Graeme McDowell, Ian Poulter, Francesco Molinari and Nicolas Colsaerts.
Plus former Masters winners in Larry Mize, Mark O’Meara, Mike Weir, Ian Woosnan, Ben Crenshaw, Tom Watson and Craig Stadler.
And in contrast to Ballymoney’s Alan Dunbar who has now turned pro, Guan has at least another three to four years in the amateur ranks before the step into the play-for-pay game.
“I’m not sure right now where I will be playing again,” said Guan.
“There are a couple of invitations for me so we will consider what to do.”
Guan played the final round in the company of Scotland’s Sandy Lyle who this week celebrated the 25th anniversary of his 1988 Masters victory.
The Scot posted five birdies in his round, and for all 14 holes where the driver was used, also outdrove Guan who managed only two birdies in his score of 75 for 12-over par tally.
“It was very interesting to see him play as he hits the ball quite a reasonable distance at the moment and remember he’s only 14,” said Lyle.
“In another three years you’ll probably see a huge difference in his length.
“He also seems to have a good game. Short game is very good. That’s a nice thing to have. There’s a lot of people that can play really well, but they haven’t got a very good short game and they’re relying on the long game to carry them through. But he seems very tidy at the short game and he’s putting very tidy as well.
“So he’s on the right track right now and I suppose there’s a lot of good golfers in China, they’re all good swingers. He’s not a textbook, perfect swing right now. But I’m sure that will be ironed out in the next few years.”
But unlike the Masters, Guan is not exempt in capturing the Asia-Amateur into July’s British Open, and instead will have to find his way into Muirfield through one of the International Final qualifiers.
