DOHA, Qatar — In the opening round of the Qatar Masters held on Thursday, a 13-year-old golfer managed to score 3-over 75, putting himself in a position to potentially compete over the weekend in only his second European tour event appearance.

Daniil Sokolov, a young talent from Russia who competes for Qatar, earned his spot in the tournament through an invitation. He started off strong, going 2 under after just four holes. Unfortunately, he faced challenges as the round progressed, accumulating four bogeys and a double bogey, which left him tied for 105th position when play was halted at Doha Golf Club, with 12 players still on the course.

Last year, Sokolov participated in the Qatar Masters as well, where he recorded scores of 78 and 82, ultimately falling short of making the cut.

Historically, in 2013, the record for the youngest male player in a European tour event was set by Chinese golfer Ye Wo-cheng, who was just 12 years old during the China Open.

Born in South Korea, Sokolov relocated to Qatar at the age of five after his family moved from Tokyo. The European tour has noted that he is managed by the Modest! management group, co-founded by Niall Horan of One Direction, who is also an avid golfer. Sokolov recently secured victory in the Jordan Junior Open in May 2024, which was part of the World Amateur Golf Ranking tournaments.

In terms of standings, Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen and Brandon Robinson Thompson are currently leading the tournament with impressive scores of 6-under par.