At 14, China’s Tianlang Guan stuns veterans with a 73 in first round of Augusta Masters

New York Daily News ^ | 04/12/2013 | BY FILIP BONDY

[SeekAndFind]

To put this performance into perspective, consider that Guan finished his first career Masters round tied with five major champions and two strokes ahead of the defending champion, Bubba Watson.

He should have been a nervous wreck, a golfing shambles. The sheer length of Augusta National was supposed to overwhelm Tianlang Guan, remind him that he is 14 years old, an eighth grader, a thin reed in a forest of pines.

Instead, Guan rolled a 20-foot, pin-high putt into the cup on the 18th hole for a final birdie, giving him an impressive 1-over 73 in the first round Thursday. Altogether, he recorded four birdies and five bogeys on the round.

“Like a dream come true,” Guan said. To put this performance into perspective, consider that Guan finished his first career Masters round tied with five major champions and two strokes ahead of the defending champion, Bubba Watson.

His mom had packed him a snack in the morning and then off he went, the youngest Masters competitor in history. He impressed a lot of people, although Guan appeared least surprised of all by his own success. When asked about his career goals, Guan was not particularly modest.

“Hopefully I can win the four majors in one year,” he said.

Ben Crenshaw, one of his two playing partners on Thursday, did not disagree. Crenshaw has become something of a tutor for Guan here, has played a practice round with him and dined with Guan’s uncle to discuss the kid’s future.

[Wuli]

“I think my Asian theory is correct, at least partly so....”You took that personally.......”......”Do you have any other theories?”

I didn’t take it personally at all. I found it ignorant that’s all. As for theories, you’re the one with all the theories and you have such a disinterest in the subject that you took the time to concoct one.

I don’t need theories. I gave you the LPGA stats. 360+ American LPGA registered players and only 17% played in an event this year. Tiny Korea fields only 38 registered LPGA players but 71% entered an LPGA event this year. If the American contingent were as active as the Koreans, then 250+ American LPGA players would have entered LPGA events this year instead of the mere 68 who did. The large American LPGA field is neither as active or as competitive as the tiny Korean contingent, so they don’t bring a throng of American viewers with them. That’s not an “Asian” thing, it’s an American thing.

[C. Edmund Wright]

I didn’t give “you” a theory because “you” needed one...I simply offered a theory on a messge board. Didn’t take me that long to “concoct” it. As to the rest of your mumbo jumbo, it makes no sense. Your stats are totally not relevant to anything. I”m talking about viewers, spectators, and you are clueless.