Australian Jasper Stubbs won on the second playoff hole to claim the Asia-Pacific Amateur on Sunday, along with invitations to the 2024 Masters and 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon.
Stubbs, 22, came from six strokes back to finish tied at 1-over 285 with the Chinese pair Sampson-Yunhe Zheng and Wenyi Ding. Stubbs, who lives just two miles from host course Royal Melbourne, used his Sandbelt local golf knowledge to erase the deficit and force a playoff.
On the first playoff hole, Stubbs and Ding made dramatic birdie putts at the par-4 18th while Zheng could make only par and was eliminated.
Stubbs and Ding headed back to play the 18th again. The Australian found the back of the green, and Ding hit his approach into a greenside bunker.
Stubbs put his lengthy birdie attempt within tap-in range. When Ding's par putt lipped out, the Australian easily settled his final putt for the win.
“The Masters is something every kid’s ever dreamed of,” Stubbs said. “It’s the one tournament that every golfer wants to play in their life, and now that’s going to be the reality for me. I’m speechless. It’s life-changing.
“I'm really excited for April now and also for the Open.”
On top of the Masters and Open Championship exemptions, Stubbs also receives entry into the 129th Amateur Championship at Ballyliffin in Ireland.
Stubbs shot 69 in regulation with four birdies, three of which came in the last nine holes, and two bogeys on the Royal Melbourne composite course that was last used for international competition at the 2019 Presidents Cup.
Zheng, who shot a 65 on Saturday to set an amateur course record and take a four-stroke lead into the final round, struggled to a final-round 75.
Ding, the 2022 U.S. Junior Amateur winner, had a closing 70, with two birdies and a bogey, to stay in contention throughout the day.
Australian Max Charles (70) and Lin Chuan-Tai (69) from Taiwan finished in a tie for fourth place at 2-over 286.
Stubbs is the fourth Australian to win the championship, following Antonio Murdaca (2014), Curtis Luck (2016) and Harrison Crowe (2022). On top of the Masters and Open Championship exemptions, Stubbs also receives entry into the 129th Amateur Championship at Ballyliffin in Ireland.
Stubbs has competed mainly in Australia this year, largely struggling in his few appearances stateside and in the U.K. He tied for 28th in the Vic Open, a pro event, and reached the round of 32 in the Amateur Championship in England.
RESULTS
The South Korean team of Minsol Kim, Hyosong Lee and Kyorim Seo combined to shoot 22-under 554 to win the Women’s World Amateur Team Championship on Saturday at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.
The trio finished four strokes clear of Taiwan and five strokes ahead of Spain. England and Thailand shared fourth place at 16-under. The Americans tied for sixth, another stroke back.
This is the fourth South Korean victory in the past seven Women’s World Amateur Team Championships.
“I’m very honored that we won this tournament,” Seo said. “I’m very grateful for my teammates doing well all four days. Our teamwork and effort helped us win today.”
In the same fashion as the American men last week, the South Korean women received timely contributions from all three members en route to victory. Impressively, they won despite having just one player finish in the top 12 individually.
Seo was strong early in the week, shooting 69-67 to open the event and finishing third amongst all individuals. Lee chipped in with a 67 during round three. And Kim closed with an important 68 in the final round to cement victory.
“I was focused on my play. I didn’t putt it as aggressively as the first three rounds. I was more relaxed and just tried to make par, and some became birdies.”
Minsol Kim
The event counts the top two scores from the three players each day. Seo and Kim had three of their four rounds count toward the total, while Lee contributed two rounds that counted.
South Korea was tied for fourth after the first round. In fact, the first round ended up being the Koreans’ worst effort during a remarkably consistent week.
On Saturday, Kim, the runner-up in the Women’s Asia-Pacific Amateur, made a flurry of early birdies to start putting the event on ice. Spain would get to within a couple strokes later in the day but gave up multiple shots late in the round. England also had a chance at the title, briefly tying the Korean team before going backward.
“I was focused on my play,” Kim said. “I didn’t putt it as aggressively as the first three rounds. I was more relaxed and just tried to make par, and some became birdies.”
The silver earned by Taiwan was its first medal in 16 appearances. Huai-Chien Hsu shot 13-under 275 to claim low-individual honors.
For the Americans, Anna Davis (T13) was the squad’s best contributor throughout the week, two strokes ahead of teammates Rachel Kuehn and Megan Schofill (T20).
The next Women’s World Amateur Team Championship will be held in 2025 at Tenah Merah Country Club’s Tampines Course in Singapore.
Staff and wire reports