the youngest Chinese player in European Tour golf history

Guan, from Guangzhou, endured a nervous start to his historic round as he joined the likes of Englishman Ian Poulter, who finished seventh at this month's Masters, competing for the $3.1 million tournament prize fund.

He made three bogeys and one double bogey in his first six holes and ended the day 12 shots behind leader Matthew Baldwin, from England.

But despite his indifferent start, there's no taking away Guan's title as the youngest player at a European Tour event -- breaking the record set by by Taiwan's Lo Shih-Kai -- who was callaway razr x irons 103 days older when he played at the 2003 Hong Kong Open.

"I couldn't believe I was playing with a 13-year-old -- I am old enough to be his dad," Australian Fraser told the European Tour's website. "It's pretty scary actually -- I thought I was still quite young.

The 13-year-old struggled as he joined the big boys at golf's top table, ending his opening round on five-over-par to sit 149th in a field of 156.

"He was very impressive for someone who is 13-and-a-half years old. He hits it long off the tee and hits a lot of very good shots.

But despite Guan's baptism of fire, playing partner Marcus Fraser, who ended the day two shots off Baldwin, said the schoolboy has a bright future ahead of him.

"To be that age and be able to play at callaway diablo edge irons this level is amazing. I felt lucky to be out there with him because if he keeps going he will be in the top ten in the world pretty comfortably.

"He is very mature, very driven but he is not being pushed into by his parents -- he wants to go out there and play and improve and that is the main thing.

Guan will have his work cut out if he is to catch 25-year-old Baldwin at the top of the leaderboard, after his bogey-free opening round.

"His putting is good and he has good routines. You can see he is very competitive too which you need to be. If he keeps on the path he is on then he can be a great player.

"A lot of kids get pushed into things but that is not the case here. He really wants it and it is pretty cool to see that in someone so young."

After shedding his early nerves, Guan was more discount golf clubs consistent in the second half of his round and shot level par on the back nine.


Although a rookie on the European Tour, the Englishman showed no signs of inexperience as he carded seven birdies at Binhai Lake Golf Club in Tianjin.

The youngster now faces an uphill battle to fulfill his dream of becoming the youngest player to make the halfway cut and give himself a chance to qualify for the second major of the golf calendar -- the U.S. Open in June.

If successful, he would break the record set by compatriot Jason Hak who was 14 years and 304 days old when he played at the 2008 Hong Kong Open.