Tianlang Guan, who played in—and made the cut at—the 2013 Masters as a 14-year-old has earned his card on the PGA Tour’s China circuit. Guan, now 21, finished T-10th during the China’s series qualifying tournament this week thanks to rounds of 72-71-72-79.
“It feels pretty good to get full status,” Guan said. “I didn’t really play my best today but I got the job done.”
Guan qualified for the Masters by winning the Asian-Pacific Amateur in 2012. At the Masters, he played practice rounds with Tiger Woods and Ben Crenshaw, and—despite getting a penalty for slow play—made the cut, becoming the youngest player to make a cut in PGA Tour or majors history. Guan also made the weekend later that year at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans playing off a sponsor’s exemption.
However, it’s not necessarily been a smooth ride since for Guan. He’s been unable to recapture his Augusta magic in the amateur ranks, entering the China series at No. 1408 in the World Amateur standings, reportedly struggling with his short game following the sport’s anchor ban.
Guan, who’s been enrolled in the University of Arizona the past two years, said earlier in the week that he was unsure of his future, that he might return to Tucson to finish his college career. But after a good week, it appears Guan is leaning towards turning pro.
“I think I will turn pro soon. There’s a good chance I might play the event in Sanya (the China series season-opener), but I still need some time to think about everything,” Guan said.