I know that the Green Jackets want to expand the global appeal of The Masters, but this is ridiculous: A fourteen-year-old has qualified by virtue of winning the Asia-Pacific Amateur.
Guan Tianlang obvioiusly is a golf prodigy, but I have to wonder about the level of competition and the toughness of the course. After all, Tiger himself won the US Amateur at 18 years 7 months, and Danny Lee at 18 years 1 month. Tiger’s record points to him as the greatest prodigy of them all, and I seriously doubt if a 14-year-old Tiger could have competed on a USGA course against adult males.
Not to be sexist, but given earlier maturation, the notion of a fourteen-year-old female champion is less difficult to swallow. A fourteen or fifteen year old girl is a lot closer to being able to compete physically with a grown women, than a fourteen year old boy is with a grown man.
My guess is that the Green Jackets will rethink this one for next year.
