A young Chinese player of just 12 years old, Ye Wocheng, has become the youngest golfer in the history of the European Tour with his participation in the China Open in Tianjin, which started yesterday. Ye Wocheng beats the record for earliness, set by his compatriot Guan Tianlang, who made headlines last month when, at 14 years and 5 months, he became the youngest player to compete in a Grand Slam, the Augusta Masters (United States).
At the China Open, Ye Wocheng, aged 12 years and 242 days, beats Guan, who competed there last year at 13 years and 177 days.
“My first goal this week is to play and enjoy myself. I don’t want to think too much about the result,” he explained in a statement from the tournament organizers.
“Unbelievable!” said South Africa’s Branden Grace, 24, who will also be aiming for a record in Tianjin, that of the first player to win the tournament twice.
“I started in golf already at the age of 11 and I don’t even want to think about what my results were at the age of 12,” he pointed out.
In the first round of the China Open in Tianjin, led by Dutchman Robert-Jan Derksen, Ye covered the course with 79 strokes, seven over par. He made eight bogeys and made one birdie.
Derksen dominates overall with 66 strokes, two behind the trio of Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat, France’s Raphael Jacquelin and Australia’s Brett Rumford.
The best Spaniard was Álvaro Quirós, who ended the day with 70 strokes.
Leave a Reply