Andy Zhang, 14, to be youngest Open competitor
- By Jason Sobel
- Jun 11, 2012 9:04 PM ET
SAN FRANCISCO – At an age when most kids are primarily concerned with their paper route or baseball card collection, 14-year-old Andy Zhang will make history this week as the youngest U.S. Open competitor ever.
After losing in a playoff at the Lecanto, Fla., sectional qualifier, Zhang entered the week as the second alternate in the field. He moved up one spot when Brandt Snedeker was replaced by another teenager, Jordan Spieth, then got into the field when oft-injured Paul Casey was also forced to withdraw.
At 14 years, 6 months, Zhang is nearly a full year younger than the previously youngest U.S. Open competitor. Tadd Fujikawa set the prior mark back in 2006.
A native of China, Zhang lives in the United States, attending the IMG Leadbetter Academy in Bradenton, Fla.
He will play in the 11:21 a.m. ET group on Thursday at The Olympic Club alongside Hiroyuki Fujita and Mark Wilson.
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Tags: US Open
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Sobel has covered golf since 2004 and provides columns, blogs, chats for Golf Channel.
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