Ex-AAC Winner Guan Relinquishes Amateur Status

Hangzhou, China: Former Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) winner Guan Tianlang has joined the ranks of the professionals.

Guan created global headlines in 2012 when he held off a field headlined by Hideki Matsuyama and Pan Cheng-tsung to triumph in the fourth edition of the AAC at Bangkok’s Amata Spring Country Club.

That success earned him a starting spot in the 2013 Masters Tournament where he stunned the golfing world and created history by becoming the youngest player to make the half-way cut at Augusta National, when aged just 14. He placed 58th.

Speaking ahead of his pro debut at last week’s Hangzhou International Championships, Guan, now aged 22, said: “I just thought it’s time to turn pro. It wasn’t very much related to the Covid-19 shutdown.”

Since 2017, Guan had been based in the United States, attending the University of Arizona and representing their golf team. As of last week, he was listed at 992nd on The R&A World Amateur Golf Ranking.

Guan enjoyed a memorable start at Moganshan Gowin Golf Club in the unique, 78-player field which included six amateurs (four females and two males), as well as the top players from the China Tour and the China LPGA Tour in a co-sponsored event.

“I didn’t feel any different from my amateur time,” said Guan, after posting a six-under 66 to take the opening-day lead. That was to be as good as it got for Guan who faded and ended settling for a share of 27th place on three-over 291.

Another celebrated Chinese male amateur who was also making his first appearance as a pro was Ye Wocheng.

It was in 2012 that Ye wrote his name into golf’s record books by becoming the youngest player to qualify for a European Tour event when he teed it up at the Volvo China Open as a 12-year-old.

Ye, who played on the International Team at the inaugural Junior Presidents Cup in 2017, has dropped out of the University of Florida. He now plans to spend a couple of years playing in China with the aim of qualifying for the Korn Ferry Tour and, ultimately, the PGA Tour.

“To be a pro golfer has always been my dream. I have a couple of years of college life under my belt. While I had a good time and learned a lot, I reconsidered my career after passing through the Q-school in January,” said the 20-year-old the Dongguan native, who signed off with a 76 to tie for 33rd at the Hangzhou event.