Guan, 14, to play in the Memorial

Associated Press

DUBLIN

Guan Tianlang, the 14-year-old Chinese amateur who made history at Augusta National, is bringing his game to Jack Nicklaus’ backyard.

Guan, who last month became the youngest player to make the cut in a major championship when he finished 58th at the Masters, has accepted an exemption to play at the Memorial Tournament next week.

“I am very excited to accept the invitation to play at the Memorial Tournament,” Tianlang said. “It is Jack Nicklaus’ event, and the same as all the golf fans out there I have very high respect to Mr. Nicklaus, not just as a golf legend, but also as a great person. He has been actively involved in the development of golf in China, and junior golf development worldwide, and as a junior golfer myself I appreciate what he has done to help us grow.”

Guan also made the cut at the PGA Tour stop in New Orleans but missed weekend play at last week’s Byron Nelson.

Nicklaus, founder and host of the Memorial, met with Guan’s parents at the Masters and had hoped the young phenom might play at Muirfield Village May 30-June 2.

He is as astounded as any by the maturity the youngster has shown.

“He was 14 years old! I mean, c’mon,” Nicklaus said recently during a trip to his hometown of nearby Columbus. “A seventh-grader won the Asian Amateur, and now he’s an eighth-grader? C’mon, that’s pretty unbelievable.”