Andy Zhang, 14, Joins Ranks of Youngest Professional Athletes
The Youth of the Sports World
June 14, 2012— -- intro: At the age of 14, Andy Zhang will make history this week when he becomes the youngest golfer to compete in the U.S. Open.
Zhang beat out Tadd Fujikawa for the title of youngest competitor. Fujikawa set the record in 2006 at the age of 15.
After two golfers had to withdraw due to injuries, Zhang moved up in the ranks to replace them on the course.
The youngster was paired with 2012 Masters champion Bubba Watson in a practice round on Tuesday, and he will tee off with Hiroyuki Fujita and Mark Wilson Thursday in the first round.
Here are some other notable athletes who made headlines when they emerged on the scene as some of the youngest in their fields.
quicklist: 1url: title: Michelle Wie
text: Michelle Wie made headlines in 2000 when she became the youngest golfer ever to qualify for a USGA amateur championship. She was 10 years old.
When she was 13, Wie became the youngest golfer ever to compete in an LPGA tour. She turned professional in 2005, just before her 16th birthday.
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quicklist: 2url: title: Maria Sharapova
text: Tennis superstar Maria Sharapova became the first Russian ever to win the Wimbleton tournament when she was only 17 years old.
Now at the age of 25, Sharapova continues to dominate the tennis world, winning her first French Open earlier this year. The win meant that the tennis star had completed a career Grand Slam, signifying she had won all four major tennis events.
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quicklist: 3url: title: Joe Nuxhall
text: At the age of 15, Joe Nuxhall became the youngest person ever to play in a Major League Baseball game.
In 1944 Nuxhall, a left-handed pitcher, was called up to the Cincinnati Reds due to a player shortage because of World War II. He completed two thirds of an inning.
Nuxhall continued to make headlines in adulthood, playing in the 1955 and 1956 All-Star games.
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quicklist: 4url: title: Bryce Harper
text: Nineteen-year-old Bryce Harper made his major league debut in April 2012 as an outfielder with the Washington Nationals.
Harper is only the 10th teenager since 1990 to hit a big-league home run, according to USA Today.
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quicklist: 5url: title: Jimmie Foxx
text: First baseman Jimmie Foxx burst onto the baseball scene in 1925 at just 17.
Beyond his age, Foxx stood out for many other reasons. He was the second batter in history to hit 500 home runs and won back-to-back MVP awards in 1932 and 1933.
Nicknamed "The Beast," Foxx spent most his career with the Philadelphia Athletics, but also played for the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, and Philadelphia Phillies.
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quicklist: 6url: title: Freddy Adu
text: Freddy Adu became the youngest person to play for a Major League Soccer team in 2003 when he signed on with the D.C. United at the early age of 14.
The Ghana-born superstar graduated from high school three years early in order to pursue his athletic dreams.
Adu won a spot on the 2008 U.S. Olympic team and was also a two-time player for the MLS All-Star Team.
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quicklist: 7url: title: Andrew Bynum
text: In 2005, when he was 18 years and 6 days old, Andrew Bynum became the youngest person ever to play in the NBA when he stepped onto the court for the Los Angeles Lakers.
The 7-foot-tall center went on to help the Lakers win back-to-back basketball championships in 2009 and 2010.
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quicklist: 8url: title: Kobe Bryant
text: Kobe Bryant burst onto the basketball scene in 1996 as an 18-year-old 13th draft pick for the NBA.
He joined the Charlotte Hornets but was later traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, where he became a sports icon.
Bryant, a 14-time All Star player, has led the Lakers to five NBA championships.
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quicklist: 9url: title: Darryl Dawkins
text: After graduating from high school, Darryl Dawkins renounced his college eligibility and applied for the 1975 NBA Draft.
Dawkins, a 6-foot-11-inch18-year-old, was drafted fifth overall by the Philadelphia 76ers.
Dawkins was a powerful dunker, shattering two backboards in a three week span, a move that prompted the NBA to adopt the breakaway rim.
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quicklist: 10url: title: Tara Lipinski
text: At a time when most kids are starting high school, Tara Lapinski was winning Olympic Gold.
Lapinski was only 15 years old in 1998 when she won the Ladies' Singles Olympic gold medal in figure skating.
Lipinski remains the youngest individual gold medalist in the history of the Olympic Winter Games.
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quicklist: 11url: title: Tom Daley
text: Tom Daley became the youngest British athlete to participate in the Olympics as a 13-year-old on England's Olympic diving team in 2008.
Although he did not win a medal in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Daley is training hard to change that in the 2012 Summer Olympics in his home country, England.
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