Jack Gruber-USA TODAY
It didn’t take long for 14 year old Tianlang Guan to capitalize on his history-making performance at The Masters. The teenager from China has accepted a sponsor’s exemption to play the Zurich Classic of New Orleans at the end of this month.
Last week Guan was the youngest golfer to ever participate in The Masters and subsequently became the youngest to ever make the cut. Even though he finished 58th at 12 over par and never contended for the title, Guan’s appearance at Augusta National was anything but disappointing. He played with poise and maturity well beyond his years. He even handled the controversy over his one shot penalty for slow play with the composure of a PGA Tour veteran.
Guan is already familiar with New Orleans, having stayed there last summer while preparing for a U.S. Open qualifier. “It’s great for me to come back here and play in the Zurich Classic,” Guan said Thursday during a teleconference call. “… I really wanted to play in this event.” Something tells me that this is the first of many events that Guan is going to have the opportunity to play.
The youngster from China impressed everyone that crossed his path at Augusta, from Tiger Woods to Ben Crenshaw. The biggest names in the sport weren’t only impressed with his game but also applauded the way in which he handled himself. As any touring pro will tell you, executing on the course is imperative, but in order to be truly successful, players need to know how to conduct themselves off the course as well. So far it looks like Guan is doing well on both fronts.
Carl Conrad is the Senior Golf Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter or add him to your network on Google.
