CHINESE 14-YEAR-old Andy Zhang is poised to become the youngest golfer to play the US Open since World War II after the withdrawals of Brandt Snedeker and Paul Casey on Monday.
The previous youngest competitor in the post-war era was Tadd Fujikawa, who was 15 at the 2006 US Open at Winged Foot, according to the US Golf Association.
Zhang attends the IMG Golf Academy in Florida.
He narrowly missed a 33-foot eagle attempt on his last hole in regulation in US Open qualifying Florida, then lost a playoff to Brooks Koepka to settle for alternate status.
Now he’s scheduled to tee off at 8:21 a.m. (15:21 GMT) on Thursday from the first tee on Olympic Club’s Lake Course, alongside Hiroyuki Fujita of Japan and American Mark Wilson.
Zhang was in San Francisco when Casey’s withdrawal due to a shoulder injury was announced and and he quickly booked a Tuesday practice round.
Snedeker also withdrew Monday because of injury, with amateur Jordan Spieth of Texas taking his place in the field.
-AFP