If golf fans were offered the chance to play in just one major championship, they would probably rip your arm off to accept the opportunity – particularly if that major was the Masters, and included a practice round alongside Tiger Woods.
For so many golfers, the idea of playing at Augusta National is the ultimate dream. The Masters is the youngest of the four majors, and yet, few places have quite the same level of history as Augusta. Every blade of perfectly-manicured grass has probably seen a shot which now lives in Masters folklore.
Many of those shots came from the clubs of Tiger Woods. Of course, Woods has won five green jackets, while he set the record for the largest winning margin in the tournament’s history back in 1997.
Some on the PGA Tour were not even born when Woods won that first major. That is now not all that surprising given that that victory came nearly 28 years ago.
The ‘unbelievable’ teenager who played a practice round with Tiger Woods ahead of his Masters debut
But what is remarkable is that Woods played a practice round at the 2013 Masters with someone who was not born until the year after his 1997 triumph.
Guan Tianlang remains the youngest player in Masters’ history, having made his debut in the tournament at the age of 14. The Chinese starlet earned his spot in Georgia by winning the 2012 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship.
And ahead of the event, Woods was full of praise for Guan following their practice round, as he was asked to compare himself at the same age.
“You know, I think I was probably longer at the time. Granted, Dustin [Johnson] and I were talking about this, we were the longest of our generations, so it’s a different game,” he said.
“But he’s so consistent. He was hitting a lot of hybrids into the holes yesterday, hitting them spot on, right on the numbers. He knew what he was doing, he knew the spots he had to land the ball, and to be able to pull it off. Good scouting, good prep, but also even better execution. From a 14‑year‑old to be able to come out here and handle himself the way he’s done is just unbelievable.”
How Guan Tianlang faced controversy at the 2013 Masters
Incredibly, Guan would actually go on to make the cut that week and end up in a tie for 58th. The next group of names on the leaderboard included Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley.
His achievement was all the more amazing given that he was cruelly handed a slow play penalty before the weekend. It is hard to imagine that he would have been penalised had he been 24 years of age and a household name on the PGA Tour.
It is scary to think that Guan is still only 26 years of age given that he made his major debut more than a decade ago. However, he has not featured in another major since the 2013 Masters.
Fast forward to today and Guan missed the cut in his last five appearances on the China Tour in 2024. So he has certainly got his work cut out if he is going to realise the potential Woods suggested that he had back in 2013.
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