Ye Wo-cheng will become the youngest player to compete in the Omega European Masters when he makes his debut in the €2.2million tournament, which returns to Crans-sur-sierre, in Crans Montana, Switzerland, from September 5-8.
Ye has already made history at this year’s Volvo China Open, where he became the youngest player to compete in a European Tour event at the tender age of 12 years and 242 days.
The Chinese prodigy, who gained entry to his national Open by finishing third in a Qualifier, missed the cut but still acquitted himself commendably at Binhai Lake Golf Club.
Ye is a two-time winner of the US Kids Golf World Championship, in San Diego, where he broke Tiger Woods’ tournament record with an aggregate winning score of 12 under par.
His emergence is symptomatic of the rise of golf in China: 20 years ago, only 100 courses existed in the entire country, whereas today there is that number in Beijing alone.
There are now more than 600 courses across the country, whilst in excess of 23,000 children have already taken part in the junior golf programme recently established by the China Golf Association.
Ye will be joined in Crans Montana by a whole host of European Tour winners, including Darren Clarke, Miguel Angel Jiménez, Matteo Manassero, defending champion Richie Ramsay and Brett Rumford.
