By Rahul Banerji
India’s Kartik Singh became the youngest to make the cut for the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship at Royal Melbourne Golf Club on Friday.
At 13 years, 9 months and 21 days, Kartik is the youngest ever to go past the 36-hole mark at the premier regional amateur tournament, according to golf writer Joy Chakravarty.
The youngster followed an opening round of 7 over 78 with a 1 over 72 on Friday for a share of 29th place behind Raghav Chugh and Shubham Jaglan.
Of seven Indians at the APAC, also making Friday’s cut were Chugh at T18 (77-69, 4 over 146), Jaglan at T29 (72-77, 7 over 149), Yuvraj Singh T41 (74-77, 9 over 151), and Shaurya Bhattacharyya at T60, and on the line (83-71).
Up ahead, Chuan-Tai Lin of Taiwan and China’s Wenyi Ding shared the lead on 3 under 139 with just nine golfers breaking par on the day, including Chugh (-2)
The cut fell at 12 over par 154 with 67 players making it through to Saturday’s third round. Krishnaav Nikhil Chopra and Vedant Sirohi did not make the grade.
The APAC field comprises 120 of the top male amateurs from the Asia-Pacific region. The 2023 field features players from 37 nations, all competing to secure an exemption into The Open and an invitation to the Masters Tournament in 2024.
The Championship was created in 2009 by the Masters Tournament, The R&A and the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation in an effort to further develop amateur golf throughout the region.
Japan hosts 2024 edition
Meanwhile, the 15th APAC will be contested at Taiheiyo Club’s Gotemba Course in Gotemba, Japan, from October 3 to 6, 2024.
The Asia-Pacific Amateur will thus return to Japan for the second time, 14 years after Hideki Matsuyama won its second edition in 2010.
“Returning to Japan for the 15th edition of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship brings the Championship full circle,” said Taimur Hassan Amin, chairman of the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation, on behalf of the founding partners.
“The Asia-Pacific Amateur has an extensive history in Japan, starting with Hideki Matsuyama’s victory more than a decade ago, and we are committed to building on that legacy in 2024 at a world-class venue in Taiheiyo Club’s Gotemba Course.”
Notable past competitors include Matsuyama, a two-time winner of the Asia-Pacific Amateur and the 2021 Masters champion, and 2022 Open champion Cameron Smith.
Collectively, alumni of the Championship have gone on to win 24 tournaments on the PGA Tour to date and more than 120 across the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour.
“We are excited to welcome the best players from across the Asia-Pacific region to Taiheiyo Club’s Gotemba Course in 2024,” said Shun Han, President of Taiheiyo Club.
Test for golfers
“The Gotemba Course is one of the world’s top courses and we look forward to the test it will provide to some of the most talented golfers in the world.”
Designed in 1977 by Shunsuke Kato, the course underwent a renovation in 2018 overseen by Rees Jones with consultation from Matsuyama. The hillside course, situated 100 kilometres southwest of Tokyo, features views of Mount Fuji.
The flagship of Taiheiyo Club’s 18 golf courses, the Gotemba Course has hosted a number of international events, including the Taiheiyo Masters and the 2001 World Cup of Golf won by South Africa’s Ernie Els and Retief Goosen.
“It will be an honour to welcome this elite Championship back to Japan after hosting the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in 2010,” said Andy Yamanaka, executive director of the Japan Golf Association.
“We are prepared to showcase Japanese golf at the highest levels and build on the success that past champions such as Hideki Matsuyama, Takumi Kanaya and Keita Nakajima have had at this Championship.”
Also read: Teenager Kartik in seven-strong India squad at APAC in Melbourne
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