Chinese golfer tees off young career

Firing the imagination

Similar scenarios have been seen in other sports, most notably the amazing impact Li Na's success has had on tennis in China.

According to Tennis Magazine, 10 professional tennis academies are now operating nationwide, in addition to local sports programs, after interest rose to fever pitch following Li's historic victory at the 2011 French Open. Moreover, the number of amateur clubs has soared.

Amateur Guan Tianlang hits his tee shot on the 10th hole during the final round of play at the 2013 Masters. Brian Snyder / Reuters

Before Li, the basketball star Yao Ming helped the NBA to expand into China and make basketball arguably the nation's No 1 sport.

"He will focus more attention on golf in his homeland," said Bob Harig, senior golf writer at the sporting website ESPN, when Guan won the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in November, which led to his qualification for Augusta.

"China is home to some 1.3 billion people, few of whom play golf. But the number is slowly rising. Guan's victory and his subsequent appearance in the Masters will focus more attention on him and the game, and perhaps spark interest among other people in China."

Boasting a poised and mature manner and speaking good English, Guan has set his sights sky high and is very open about his goals. During the Changyang Amateur Golf Championship in Beijing in September, he told China Daily that he wants to be as good as, or even better than, the world No 1 and 14-time major winner Tiger Woods. He also has ambitions to win all the majors in the same year, a feat that's never been accomplished.

"Your future is the future of Chinese golf. World No 1? Nothing is impossible," China's No 1 golfer Liang Wenchong, who played in the 2008 US Masters, wrote on his micro blog after Guan made the cut.

Despite the optimism, Zhang Xiaoning has called for patience. "Guan's breakthrough at Augusta will be a huge encouragement for junior golfers, but they still have a long road to travel. It takes time to reach the heights of great players like Tiger Woods," he said.