Chinese boy, 12, becomes youngest ever to qualify for European Tour event

Whether it's 17-year-old swimmer Missy Franklin capturing four gold medals at the Summer Olympics or Maria Sharapova winning the Wimbledon title at the same age, it's certainly not unusual to see young athletes making an impact at the highest levels of their respective sports. However, one young Chinese golfer may stand above the rest. At 12 years old, Ye Wocheng qualified for the Volvo China Open and became the youngest player ever to do so on the European Tour, The Associated Press reports.

Wocheng's scores are the envy of any avid golfer who has been hitting the links for decades. In his first round of the qualifying tournament, the pre-teen carded a four-under 68. The score was so impressive that a two-over 74 in the next round wasn't enough to derail his qualification for the tournament. Wocheng's appearance in the China Open will break the previous record, which was set by 13-year-old Guan Tianlang in 2012. 

The ascension of a 12-year-old to the highest level of golf may evoke memories of Michelle Wie, who was ripping 300-yard drives when she was still in her early teens. She turned the most heads when she qualified for the U.S. Women's Open at 13.