Guan should be in no hurry

     Tianlang Guan is now the low amateur at the Masters. Great accomplishment.  Now what's next? The eighth grader has created a great buzz this week by being the low amateur and the youngest player to ever have that distinction. This is great in so many levels.

     When Tiger was that age he was probably only dreaming of what Guan did and hoping for an invite to arguably the world's most prestigious tournament. Guan has now been there and done that and if his game improves, perhaps he will try to play the US Amateur later this summer.

Another area I like for him is how humble he is. It is only natural to find out what his future plans are and while he could make a buck going pro, I imagine sponsors will make him want for nothing.  As he said after his final Master's round, "I've not decided yet, but it won't be too early because there's still a lot of things to learn to improve," he said about turning pro. "So nothing to rush." 

What ever he does, he needs to resist burnout. For one,  do not play too much golf with Tiger. Other than the golf, Tiger is not much of a role model. 

As most people know, golf has gone global. Like cell towers last decade, there are still plenty of hot patches where golf is played in Asia and many more that could care less. A true superstar Asian on the PGA Tour would be good for the game. It might just raise the stakes like the ladies of the LPGA have found out. 

Right now, that is premature. Guan is simply the low amateur. It seems like only yesterday that Tiger was on the prowl. Now he is the hunted. Could Guan or someone like him be that next superstar that transcends golf?

Stay tuned.

 

Tianlang Guan is low amateur

Updated: April 14, 2013, 2:44 PM ET

By Farrell Evans | ESPN.com

AUGUSTA, Ga., -- Tianlang Guan completed his first Masters on Sunday with a final round 3-over 75 to finish 12 over for the tournament.
The 14-year-old Chinese eighth-grader added to his already extensive list of firsts in the Masters by being the low amateur in the event, the youngest to achieve this feat in the 77 years of the tournament.

Andrew Redington/Getty ImagesTianlang Guan completed his first Masters on Sunday with a final round 3-over 75 to finish 12-over par.

"I think the first couple rounds, I played pretty good," said Guan, who didn't make worse than a bogey all week. "I feel a little bit tired today. So yeah, there's still a lot of things to improve.
"My short game's good, but still need to be better. My driver probably needs to be longer. Yes, I mean, everything needs to improve."
Guan made the 36-hole cut on Friday after incurring a 1-shot penalty for slow play. He is the second winner of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship to finish as low amateur.
In 2011, Hideki Matsuyama tied for 27th in the Masters.
As the Asia-Pacific Amateur winner, Guan is exempt into the final qualifier for the Open Championship, set for July 18 at Muirfield in Scotland.
In the meantime, he plans to play in a couple of professional tournaments. But he has no plans of turning pro anytime soon.
"I've not decided yet, but it won't be too early because there's still a lot of things to learn to improve," he said about turning pro. "So nothing to rush."