BEIJING - China's Guan Tianlang and Zou Yunlin shared the lead at four-over-par going into the final day of the Fangshan Changyang China Amateur Golf Championship on Sunday.

A steady performance belied his age as Guan, nine days short of his 13th birthday, hit his second two-over 74 in as many days on Saturday, while Zou struck an even-par 72 at the Beijing California County Golf Club.

Though still a junior, Guan, who says Phil Mickelson is his idol, is by no means a stranger on the China amateur circuit. He won the Chongqing stop of the 2010 China Amateur Futures Tour and won both the Zhuhai and Haining stops of the 2011 China Amateur Futures Tour. He was also champion of the 11-12 year-old division at the 2011 World Junior Championship.

But Guan has not set any targets for this event, saying he just wants to play his best.

The junior player, who made reporters scratch their heads for quotes during his post-round interview, did have high praise for the event, saying its organization and atmosphere was like a professional tournament.

Eleven years older than Guan, Zou, a former caddie, on Saturday hit four birdies but had a double bogey at the fifth hole.

Tied for third, one stroke behind, were Japan's Shuhei Ozaki and China's Dou Zecheng.

In the women's section, 16-year-old Ma Andrea Victoria from the Philippines went a step closer to clinching the title after becoming the sole leader with an even-par performance on Saturday.

Friday's co-leader, Wang Ziyi of China, who beat Victoria into second place at January's HSBC junior tournament, was one-over 73 on Saturday and 144 overall, one shot behind the leader.

In third, three shots behind, was Ji Rong of China, who had a two-over 74 on Saturday.

China Daily

(China Daily 10/16/2011 page7)