History-making thirteen-year-old fails to make the cut at China Open

He created history as the youngest player to participate in a European Tour event but 13-year-old Guan Tian-lang’s debut did not have the dream ending he was hoping for.

The Guangzhou schoolboy failed to make the halfway cut in his first professional tournament on the European circuit to end any chances he had of qualifying for the second golf major of the year – the U.S. Open in June.

After a glowing endorsement from his playing partner, Marcus Fraser, on Thursday despite shooting a five-over-par opening round, Guan ended day two on 12-over to sit 150th in the field of 155.

Guan will have to console himself with the knowledge that by teeing off in Tianjin at the age of 13 years and 177 days, it might be some time before his record is broken.

Overnight leader Matthew Baldwin was replaced by England’s Gary Boyd and Jean-Baptiste Gonnet of France, who both sit on 11-under.

South African Branden Grace is second on ten-under with Belgium’s Nicolas Colsearts a further shot back.

England’s Ian Poulter, who finished seventh at the Masters earlier this month, made the cut by a single shot, while Francesco Molinari – part of Europe’s successful Ryder Cup team in 2010 – is on seven-under.

Gonnet fired six birdies and only one bogey as he hit the front. The Frenchman has been in good form in 2012, recording three top 12 finishes, after a disappointing couple of years on the tour.

“It’s good to be in the lead and the game is in good shape so I have a very good chance to win but I have to try and not think about it,” he told the European Tour’s official website.

“My confidence levels are high because I have been playing well for the last two months. I had a lot of fun out there today and that is very important for me on the course, to try and have fun and enjoy it because the last two years have been very tough for me.

“It wasn’t tough to keep my card but I wasn’t getting too much enjoyment out of the game and I was bringing too much pressure on myself. I know this is a job but, for me, I have to enjoy it and remember why I started playing this game.

“I have to go back to the five-year-old kid and try to play for fun. That will be the main aim for the weekend – to go out there and try to enjoy it because there is no point in playing the game if you are not having fun.”

Boyd’s second round was indifferent until he closed with five birdies in his final eight holes to set him up perfectly for the weekend.

He said: “It was good out there. I had to stay patient on the front nine and was one over playing my ninth hole but managed to get on in two and two putt for birdie and really get my round going.

“The back nine I managed to take a few more chances and finished it off with a three wood to eight feet on the ninth - it was the shot of the year so far for me.”

Meanwhile, at the Indonesian Open, world No. 3 Lee Westwood shot a four-under-par 68 to extend his lead over the rest of the field to five shots.

Many of the players weren’t able to finish their second round due to poor weather in Jakarta.