14-year-old golfer becomes youngest to qualify for Masters

The prestigious Masters golf tournament in Augusta, Ga., will make more history in the spring when 14-year-old Guan Tianlang of China becomes the youngest participant.

Tianlang won the Asia-Pacific Championship for amateurs Sunday at Amata Spring Country Club in Bangkok to earn the automatic berth.

When the 125-pound eighth-grader tees it up at Augusta National in April he will shatter the age barrier set by Matteo Manassero, who was 16 when he played in 2010 after winning the 2009 British Amateur.

“I’m so excited,� Tianlang said. “I’m really happy to become the youngest player at the Masters and looking forward to going there. I don’t know what’s going to happen there, but I know I just want to do well.�

It’s the second consecutive year a 14-year-old from China will play in a major after Andy Zhang participated in the U.S. Open last year.

Tianlang, who shot a final-round one-under 71, needed a chip-and-putt finish to save par on the final hole to win the Asia-Pacific title by one stroke over Pan Cheng-tsung of Taiwan.

Australian teen Oliver Goss finished third while Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama, the No. 1-ranked amateur in Asia and two-time defending champion, was fourth.

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Wire and Internet reports contributed to this post.