Guan's success at the Masters is expected to boost the image of golf in China. The game was introduced to the country in the 1980s, but has been hampered by the perception that it's only a sport for the wealthy. Despite the economic boom and the increasing number of golf courses, the sport is still a rare choice for the general public, who prefer to play sports such as badminton and basketball in their leisure time.

"Golf has been misperceived as a sport for bosses in China. That's not true; instead, it's a great sport, especially for kids," said Zhang Zhiqiang, father of the amateur, Zhang Shilu.

The Dalian native said golf is not as expensive as most people imagine. He said he paid 500 yuan ($80) for his daughter to play four hours at the practice course, and the price included the rental fee for the equipment.

"You pay 50 yuan an hour to play badminton and the courts are always inadequate," he said.

- Tang Zhe

(China Daily 04/16/2013 page5)