No sooner had Ian Poulter proudly captured the WGC – HSBC Champions event and he was singing the praise of China’s Guan Tianlang.

Tialang created history earlier this afternoon in becoming the youngest-ever player, at just 14 years of age, to become eligible to compete in the U.SA. Masters.

The ultra-talented Chinese golfer earned an Augusta National tee time by winning the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in Thailand.
Guan held on after opening up a five-stroke halfway lead with sparkling rounds of 66 and 64 at the Amata Spring Country Club.

His achievement comes five months after compatriot Andy Zhang played in the U.S. Open in San Francisco at the same age.

Australia’s Oliver Goss, who finished third, said afterwards that Guan was “too young to be intimidated.

When Guan tees it up at Augusta in April he will beat the previous record set by Italy’s Matteo Manassero, who was 16 when he played at the year’s first major in 2010.

Guan is quickly establishing himself as Asia’s latest golf sensation, becoming the youngest player to compete at a European Tour event at the China Open earlier this year.

Japan’s Ryo Ishikawa and South Korean Noh Seung-yul both burst onto the scene while still at school, blazing a trail for the next generation of Asian golfers.

Ishikawa, 21, has nine Japanese Tour wins to his name, his first coming as a 15-year-old, while Noh, also 21, captured a European Tour title at the co-sanctioned Malaysian Open in 2010.

Poulter, who captured a second WGC title in two years, was just as impressed with Guan’s efforts and with the Old Tom Morris Cup in front of him, commented: “I didn’t realise he had won and now that he has, it’s incredible.

“It’s pretty special and it’s fantastic for Asian player and fantastic for China, in particular.

“It just shows how far golf has progressed in China in the last few years and it’s only going to get stronger and stronger.

“I was part of hosting a junior clinic on Wednesday morning here at Mission Hills and there is some serious talent from about the age of eight upwards. So much so that in four to eight years time they are going to be a force to reckon with.

“So that’s huge for the teenager.”