中国高球天才少年将创造大师赛历史

Golf fans across the globe are yet to forget Bubba Watson's tears of joy following his hard-fought Masters victory at the Augusta National Golf Club in April. But in 2013, the winner's green blazer may have to be shrunk if teen prodigy Guan Tianlang, from southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, has his way.

今年4月在奥古斯塔国家高尔夫俱乐部(Augusta National Golf Club)，布巴·沃森(Bubba Watson)经过苦战夺得美国高尔夫大师赛的冠军。全世界的高尔夫球迷尚未忘记他夺冠后开心流泪的一幕。但2013年，如果来自中国南方城市广州的天才少年关天朗一路夺魁，大师赛冠军的绿色外套可能就得做小一些了。

The eighth grader on Sunday won the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship at the Amata Spring Country Club in Bangkok by one stroke to secure an invite to the Masters in April and to the final stage of British Open qualifying in July.

Reuters2012年11月4日，中国高球选手关天朗在泰国春武里府的阿玛塔温泉乡村俱乐部参加亚太业余锦标赛。在泰国赢得亚太业余锦标赛冠军后，这位14岁的中国少年将成为参加美国高尔夫大师赛的最年轻选手。11月4日，在曼谷的阿玛塔温泉乡村俱乐部(Amata Spring Country Club)，刚上八年级的关天朗以一杆的优势夺得亚太业余锦标赛(Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship)的冠军，从而获得了明年4月出席美国高尔夫大师赛的参赛资格，并入围了7月的英国公开赛(British Open)资格赛。

At 14 years and 5 months old, Guan will be Augusta's youngest starter on record, trumping Italy's Matteo Manassero, who previously held the distinction when as a 16-year-old he finished as low amateur in a tie for 36th at the 2010 Masters.

14岁零5个月的关天朗将会是奥古斯塔球场迎来的最年轻球员，刷新此前由意大利人马纳赛罗(Matteo Manassero)保持的最年轻参赛选手记录。马纳赛罗16岁时以业余选手身份参加了2010年的美国高尔夫大师赛，最终成绩为并列第36名。

'I'm so excited. I'm really happy to become the youngest player at the Masters and looking forward to going there. I don't know what's going to happen there, but I know I just want to do well,' Guan told reporters on a conference call from Bangkok, according to Agence France-Presse.

据法新社(Agence France-Presse)报道，关天朗在曼谷的一个电话会议上对记者们说，我太兴奋了。我很高兴能成为大师赛最年轻的选手，并盼望着参赛。我不知道到时候会怎么样，但我知道自己只想好好表现。

On that call, Guan said he hopes to organize a practice round at Augusta with idol Tiger Woods, describing the American as a player with a strong mind and a strong heart, according to AFP. The teen's earliest memory of watching the Masters was in 2005 when Woods secured his fourth -- and most recent -- green blazer.

据法新社报道，关天朗在电话中说，他希望能在奥古斯塔与自己的偶像老虎伍兹(Tiger Woods)打一场练习赛，并说伍兹是一个有着坚定意志和强大心灵的选手。关天朗对观看美国高尔夫大师赛的最早记忆是在2005年，当时伍兹第四次夺冠，也是最近的一次。

Yet to score Woods-sized sponsorship deals, Guan currently wears apparel made by Ontario-based Sligo Wear Inc. The brand, known for its aggressive use of color, also outfits PGA Tour regulars including Brian Gay, Russell Knox and Graham DeLaet.

关天朗还未能像伍兹一样获得大批赞助，目前他穿的是由安大略企业Sligo Wear Inc.生产的运动服。这个品牌以其大胆用色而出名，并为布赖恩·盖伊(Brian Gay)、拉塞尔·诺克斯(Russell Knox)和格雷厄姆·德莱特(Graham DeLaet)等职业高尔夫球赛常客供应服装。

This isn't the first time Guan has set a record. Earlier this year, at age 13, he became the youngest player to take part in a European PGA Tour event when he teed off at the Volvo China Open in Tianjin. In 2011, he took out the 11-12 division at the San Diego Junior World Golf Championships, six years after he placed fourth in the 6-and-under division. The right-hander reportedly swung his first club at age four.

这已经不是关天朗首次创下纪录。今年早些时候，13岁的关天朗在天津的沃尔沃中国公开赛(Volvo China Open)上开球，成为参加欧洲职业高尔夫球巡回赛(European PGA Tour)的最年轻选手。2011年，他参加了旧金山世界青少年高尔夫锦标赛(Callaway Junior World Golf Championships)11岁至12岁年龄组的比赛，而六年前，他在六岁以下年龄组的比赛中获得第四名。据报道，习惯用右手的关天朗第一次挥杆是在四岁时。

Guan's success follows that of compatriot Andy Zhang, who in June came through qualifying to become the youngest-ever U.S. Open competitor at the age of 14.

在关天朗之前，14岁的中国选手张华创(Andy Zhang)于今年6月通过资格赛，成为史上最年轻的美国公开赛参赛者。

That same month, Feng Shanshan won the women's Wegmans LPGA Championship title in New York, becoming the first Chinese player to win a major tour event and title, at age 22.

同月，22岁的冯姗姗在纽约赢得维格曼斯女子高尔夫球赛(Wegmans LPGA Championship)冠军，成为首位在高尔夫大满贯赛事中夺冠的中国选手。