Mind games difficult to master for Chinese prodigies
Many players have the skills, but the mental jump between playing amateur and professional golf is very tough
China's prodigies have the inner belief, but it is mental strength that will determine their future - and China's first major champion - says defending Volvo China Open champion Brett Rumford.
"I think culturally, it's in their psyche," says Rumford, 36, who came through the cut-throat Australian system.
"It might take a little while before they actually have the belief, the courage to step up and feel they belong in an arena ... in a three-ball against the world's best players. That requires a lot of mental strength.
Look at Guan at the Masters last year. That mental maturity in someone so young is a positive sign
"A lot of players have the game out here, there's no doubt about that, but the mental jump between playing amateur golf and professional golf in your nation against your local pros and then stepping out on the world scene and trying to mix it with the world's best players, it's very tough.
"Guan Tianlang obviously has experience beyond his youth and this is what you are seeing more and more from the youth these days.
"It's not so much a lack of respect … they have so much more inner belief that they can come out here and compete and perform.
