APGC
Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation Journal
December 2014
Winners are grinners: Teenager Antonio Murdaca is all smiles after winning the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship at Royal Melbourne. Photo: Brett Crockford/AAC
Contents Murdaca masters Royal Melbourne
1-3
Chairman’s message
2
Hong Kong to host 2015 Asia-Pacific Championship
4
Taiwan’s Pan dominates Asian Games 4 Fujita claims Diamond Cup
5-6
R&A admits women members
6
Slumbers named R&A Chief Executive 7 AAC on track to become an open event 7 Wong wins Hong Kong Amateur
8
Matsumoto Claims Asia Pacific Seniors 8 American Samoa joins APGC
asiapacificgolf.org
8
Murdaca masters Royal Melbourne South Australian teen dominates Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship to win a spot at the 2015 Masters
Teenager Antonio Murdaca galloped to a whopping sevenshot victory in the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship at Royal Melbourne, giving Australia its first winner in the tournament which has rapidly established
itself as one of the world’s key amateur events.
The 19-year-old from South Australia secured the tournament winner’s prime prize of a spot in The Masters in April as well as entry into final qualifying for
next year’s Open Championship. A stocky player who sneaked into the Australian contingent at the last moment, Murdaca set off on the final round with an eight-shot lead and strolled to a comfortable 71 for a total of 275, after stellar earlier rounds of 69-68-67. n Continued bottom of page 2
Chairman’s message
APGC Chairman Dr David Cherry The 2014 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship at Royal Melbourne was a great success for which many parties need to be thanked. Firstly, all at Royal Melbourne, headed by their Captain Jim King, deserve special thanks in the way they made their facilities available for the championship.
The course was a great test of golf and in magnificent condition, the clubhouse and practice facilities were also of the highest order. I must thank our partners, The R&A and Augusta National Golf Club, for their continued participation and enthusiasm for the event. Oh, to be a player with the potential to play in this event. One of the reasons being a member country of the APGC is so rewarding is that it gives, as a minimum, two players the opportunity of a lifetime to play one of the great courses in front of some of the leaders in the world of golf, televised to more than 150 countries and at no personal cost. This event would not be nearly so successful if it were not for our proud partners – 3M, AT&T, Mercedes Benz, Samsung, UPS and Zurich as well as our scoring partners Rolex and IBM – and I once again thank them for their continued support.
Japan’s Mikumu Horikawa mounted a belated challenge and shot a final-round 69 to finish second after at one point edging to within five shots of the Australian. Along with Murdaca, Horikawa also wins a place in the final stage of qualifying for The Open at St Andrews. Australian players were well represented on their home soil with Victorian Todd Sinnott, the first-round leader, third at five under and Ryan Ruffels alone at fourth, three-under par after a final-round 68. 2 ❘ APGC Newsletter ❘ December 2014
Obviously, as an Australian, I was delighted an Aussie has at last become the winner with the fabulous reward of playing the final qualifying for The Open Championship and the 2015 Masters Tournament. Antonio Murdaca hails from The Grange Golf Club in Adelaide, which is next door to the course at which I am a member, making it even more special as South Australia is not well known for its golfing expertise. Having said that, Adam Scott was born in Adelaide and the recent winner of the Australian Masters, Nick Cullen, also comes from Adelaide. The APGC Seniors, which is an individual event with a team event on the side, was recently held at the Discovery Bay Golf Club in Hong Kong. The HKGA, as usual, ran a most efficient event on an extremely demanding golf course which was over-subscribed and attracted entries from 21 countries – such is the stature of the event. The view from the course is second to none and if you were having an ordinary day on the course (as I was) then the view more than made up for the multiple lost balls and triple-bogeys that inevitably went with them. Shingo Matsumoto from Japan won the event in a playoff on the sixth extra
China’s Zecheng Dou and Tianlang Guan tied for fifth with Chinese Taipei’s Cheng-Tsung Pan seventh at two under. Murdaca’s breathtaking win was by far the biggest margin in the six-year history of the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation’s keynote championship. While he was always able to maintain a comfortable distance to his rivals, Murdaca did slip back with bogeys at the seventh and ninth, as Horikawa opened a brief bid to overhaul him. But he responded quickly with a 6m birdie putt on the
hole from Andrew McKechnie from New Zealand. Australia narrowly defeated New Zealand in the teams event for the Hugh Staunton Trophy, which was kindly presented by the donor at the final reception. I took the opportunity of playing at Clearwater Bay – the site of the 2015 AAC in Hong Kong. Players are once again in for a feast of golf on a magnificent and demanding golf course where accuracy is at a premium. The associated infrastructure is superb, so I suggest players focus in on October 1-4, 2015, to try to win the AAC with its associated benefits. The APGC Handbook on how to run golf tournaments is about to be released and I thank Ishwar Achanta from India for his hard work. The APGC Junior event in Chinese Taipei, scheduled for late August 2015 is well advanced in planning and full details will be announced soon. I want to take this opportunity to thank our APGC sponsor Rolex for their continued support and for signing an agreement which will see their sponsorship continue for the next five years. Lastly, I wish you all a Happy New Year and good golfing – after all, that is what brings us all together.
tough par-four 10th, then set up another at the par-five 14th to increase his cushion to seven shots. With his coach Gareth Jones on the bag, Murdaca never seemed flustered, producing a string of pars to finish. Nevertheless, he said it was not until his second shot on the 18th found the green that he was prepared to acknowledge his victory. “When I hit that shot, I felt some tingles down my spine,’’ he said. “My coach helped me keep
calm, we just executed shots, one after the other, so, you know, I was hitting solid shots. “I started a bit iffy this morning but it was fine. I holed a good putt on the first just to save par and that got my confidence up a little bit. I hit some more great shots today but I didn’t hole as many putts as I did over the last three days – but it was another good round for me.” Horikawa had a brilliant weekend with scores of 67 and 69 but said the final-day gap was simply too big to bridge.
Top two: Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship runner-up Horikawa Mikumu with winner Antonio Murdaca.
“I really wanted to win and be able to go to The Masters next spring as well, but to try to overcome a nine-stroke difference from the third round was really challenging,’’ he said. “To finish second and go to The Open Championship qualifying will be a wonderful experience.’’ Murdaca said he had tried not to think about Augusta too much during the round, but was delighted afterwards. “It is a pretty special win considering what you get,” he said. “I have been working hard for a win all year and I have certainly won the right one. I’ve been focusing on this event now for a little while since I knew I would get to play in it. “I’ve been working pretty hard and there are a few more events coming up for me now and I’m going into them with great confidence – hopefully they work out as well.” Murdaca said he was not worried about lining up against a number of compatriots who had more experience around Royal Melbourne.
“Obviously I think most of them had a bit of a home game advantage because some of them I think are members here and get to practise whereas for me and some of the other boys we play here once a year in an event,” he said. “Our preparation
nine, 10, 11 and 12, they are very tough holes. My aim all week was to try to get through those at even par. I made bogey on nine today and I ended up holing a good putt on 10 and finished 11 and 12 par, par, so I was really happy with that.”
When one of these young men come to Augusta and play the Masters every year … we are so proud of them, they’re like our children probably wasn’t as good as theirs but we had a two-day camp with Golf Australia where they helped us out and helped us map some greens and where to hit the ball around the course, so that was great.” Murdaca said his strategy was to try to get through the most difficult part of the course unscathed and make opportunities count. “There is a tough stretch –
His coach will caddie for him in April and his proud parents Dominic and Antonia, and girlfriend Brooke, will also be part of his support crew. “It is already exciting just thinking about it,” Murdaca said. “It is a dream come true for me.” Augusta National Golf Club Chairman Billy Payne, who joined other Augusta members on the hallowed
Photo: Ian Knight/AAC
turf of the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday night for a commemorative photograph with the players, said the club intended bringing the event back to Royal Melbourne in the near future. Mr Payne said Murdaca would be adopted by the membership and the fans at Augusta National when he stepped out in the field next year, just as previous AAC winners were. “It makes us feel wonderful,’’ Mr Payne said. “Quite honestly, I can tell you that when one of these young men come to Augusta and play the Masters every year, the membership and I think the fans immediately have a favourite. I think we are so proud of them, they’re like our children. “It’s very important to us that they have this wonderful experience. And because they do, a million more watching around the world are going to want to compete in this championship.’’ Not long after Murdaca holed the final putt, Mr Payne invited him to practise at Augusta in January. December 2014 ❘ APGC Newsletter ❘ 3
Hong Kong to host 2015 Asia-Pacific Championship Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club in Hong Kong has been confirmed as the host venue for the 2015 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC), organisers announced during the sixth staging of the prestigious championship in Melbourne.
The AAC, which produced its first Australian winner in Antonio Murdaca at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in October, is scheduled for October 1-4 next year. The event moves throughout the region – it has now been held in China (2009, 2013), Japan (2010), Singapore (2011), Thailand (2012) and Australia (2014). Organised by the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation, the Masters Tournament and The R&A, the AAC offers the winner an invitation to the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. The champion and runner(s)up earn spots in The Open Qualifying Series for The Open Championship. The event will mark the first time the championship has been held in Hong Kong. Clearwater Bay is located in the New Territories and situated on a peninsula with stunning views of the South China Sea and Hong Kong. The golf course is divided into two parts: the
Nice view: Discovery Bay Golf Club in Hong Kong.
Highland Nine and the Ocean Nine. “All of us in Hong Kong who share a love of golf should be very proud to have been selected as the host,” said Ning Li, President of the Hong Kong Golf Association. “It will be an honour and a privilege to show the region our wonderful city and showcase one of the area’s most beautiful and challenging courses.” Wyman Li, Chairman of Clearwater Bay, said: “The AsiaPacific Amateur Championship is, without question, the elite amateur competition in our region, with unmatched rewards that continue to inspire players
to reach their dreams. We are delighted to serve as hosts and are committed to growing the profile of the event in every way possible.” David Hui, Captain of Clearwater Bay and Honorary Chairman of the HKGA, added: “This announcement represents a significant moment for the further development of golf in Hong Kong and the entire region. “The Asia-Pacific Amateur will bring with it tremendous prestige to our area, with the world of golf watching as we assist in the conduct of this farreaching championship. We can, and will, provide the support
Photo: dbgc.hk
necessary to ensure the event’s ultimate success.” The AAC in Melbourne featured 116 players from the APGC’s 35 member associations. Television coverage included three hours of live broadcast on each of the four days and a 30-minute highlights show, and was aired in more than 150 countries, confirming it as the world’s most televised amateur golf tournament.
For more information about the AAC, including latest news, schedule, spectator information and a roster of players competing, please visit the event’s website at www.AACgolf.com
Taiwan’s Pan dominates Asian Games Cheng-Tsung Pan took victories in both the team and individual competitions at the Asian Games to win a pair of gold medals for Taiwan.
Pan fired a final-round one-under 71 to win by two
4 ❘ APGC Newsletter ❘ December 2014
shots, while also leading his country to the team win. He finished with a 72-hole total of 17 under (271) to beat Nanhum Kim of Korea. Pan was under par all four days with rounds of 66, 69, 65 and 71.
The victory gave Pan the individual gold medal at the Asian Games, an Olympic-like competition for sports in the Asian region. The individual gold pairs with the silver medal he won
at the Asian Games as a 14-year-old in 2006. In the team competition, Taiwan was the dominant nation with three players from the country finishing in the top six overall.
Local star: Hiroyuki Fujita shows off his Diamond Cup trophy.
FUJITA CLAIMS DIAMOND CUP Local hero Hiroyuki Fujita skipped home with a finalround 66 to clinch the $US1.5 million Asia-Pacific Open Golf Championship Diamond Cup by two shots.
Fujita shrugged off the challenges from the best players from the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour to finish with a sixunder-par total of 278. Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat returned to his best form after a six-week injury lay-off by signing for a flawless 67 to share second place with Korea’s S.K. Ho and Jason Knutzon of the United States. Korea’s Baek Seuk-hyun shot 69
to take a share of fifth alongside compatriot Lee Kyoung-hoon and Japan’s Yoshitaka Takeya and Yoshinobu Tsukada at the Japanese
on the sixth and ninth holes before surging to the top of the leaderboard with birdies on 11 and 15.
I saw lots of happy faces among the crowd too and I’m glad my victory made it a special day for them showpiece at the Ohtone Country Club. Starting the day four shots off the lead, Fujita opened with a birdie and picked up shots
A bogey on the par-four 17th did little damage to his title ambitions as he recovered well to close with another birdie on 18 to win his 18th title on the Japan Golf Tour.
“This win is especially rewarding as it was against a top field that includes players from the Asian Tour,” Fujita said. “I saw lots of happy faces among the crowd too and I’m glad my victory made it a special day for them.” Fujita, who topped the money list on the Japan Golf Tour in 2012, was delighted with his birdie blitz, especially on his front nine, but after dropping his only shot of the day on 17, the Japanese knew he had to conjure something special to ease the pressure. “That birdie on 18 was important as it gave me some December 2014 ❘ APGC Newsletter ❘ 5
breathing space, especially with all the players chasing me down. I’m glad it was enough to give me a two-shot victory,” he said. Meanwhile, Kiradech celebrated his comeback from injury with a performance he was proud of. After rounds of 71, 72 and 70, the reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit champion saved the best for last when he battled back gallantly to enjoy his best result on the Asian Tour this season. “I was hitting the ball really well today. I just keep getting better and better each day. I didn’t really putt that well on the frontnine but I took lots of confidence from the way I was hitting the ball,” said Kiradech, who birdied holes nine, 11, 13 and 18. “I started off too slowly as I was still finding my way around. But today’s result is an indication of my ability to stage a fight back. My knee’s not completely healed as I still have some trouble with my swing. But it’s almost 80 per cent there and I’ll get better,” the Thai added. Knutzon flew under the radar
Let’s eat: Chairman David Cherry at a group dinner for Diamond Cup players.
and seemed poised to gatecrash Fujita’s home party when he eagled 14 to take a share of the lead. However, disaster soon struck
on 16 where he double-bogeyed and could not muster another challenge in his closing two holes to stage a comeback. “I was using my three-wood
all week there and it was OK. Today, there was a little more breeze coming in and I just hit a really bad shot which was very frustrating,” Knutzon said.
R&A admits women members The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews has voted overwhelmingly to admit women as members
Secretary of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club Peter Dawson said he was delighted by the decision. “More than three-quarters of the club’s global membership took part in the ballot, with a decisive 85 per cent voting for women to become members,” Dawson said. “This vote has immediate effect and I can confirm that the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews is now a mixed-membership club. “The membership has also acted to fasttrack a significant initial number of women to become members in the coming months. “This is a very important and positive day in the history of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club. The R&A has served the sport of golf well for 260 years and I am confident that the club will continue to do so in future with the support of all its members, both women and men.”
6 ❘ APGC Newsletter ❘ December 2014
Opening the doors: The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews has voted to admit women as members.
Dawson said at the sixth staging of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship at Royal Melbourne that the club was now going through its normal membership process. “I expect we’ll have women members in the club in the not-too-distant future,” he said.
“The general committee of the club was empowered by the members to invite up to 15 and that would be what we would call ordinary members of the club. “Honorary members, of course, are over and above that and that’s always been a practice of The R&A to invite honorary members from time to time.”
Slumbers named R&A chief executive The R&A has announced the appointment of Martin Slumbers as chief executive and also as secretary of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, with effect from October.
Mr Slumbers will succeed Peter Dawson, who is retiring in September after 16 years leading the body which organises The Open Championship and governs golf worldwide, jointly administering the sport with the USGA. He will join The R&A in March 2015 as Chief Executive Designate and spend six months working with Mr Dawson before his retirement. Born in Brighton and educated at Lancing College, Mr Slumbers, 54, gained a Bachelor of Science in Production Engineering and Economics from the University of Birmingham. He qualified as a chartered accountant with PricewaterhouseCoopers in London before embarking on a career in investment banking. He spent 12 years working for Salomon Brothers International
Key appointment: Martin Slumbers will take over as Chief Executive and Secretary of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews in October. Photo: R&A
in London and Hong Kong, becoming chief financial officer in Asia and then Europe. In 1998, he joined Deutsche Bank and served in a number
of senior executive roles. He was appointed global head of Deutsche Bank’s investment banking operations in 2006 and the following year as
global head of global business services. He is a keen golfer and a member of Worplesdon Golf Club in Surrey where he plays to a handicap of two. He is married with two sons. “The R&A is one of the most influential bodies in world sport and I am delighted to be taking up this position,” he said. “Golf has always been close to my heart and I am very much looking forward to living and working in St Andrews. I am honoured to be appointed to lead The R&A and to serve such an historic and prestigious club.” Professor Wilson Sibbett, chairman of The R&A, said: “I would like to congratulate Martin on his appointment. He has enjoyed a long and successful career and will bring a great deal of experience to the position. He has a passion for golf and is absolutely committed to the work of The R&A in governing the game, running The Open and supporting development initiatives around the world.”
AAC on track to become an open event The Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship – described by retiring R&A boss Peter Dawson as “the best-staged amateur event in the world” – is set to become an open tournament in the near future.
After just six years as a closed event with limited invitations to member countries, international focus has already boosted the profile of the AAC beyond expectations. Dawson, who has stepped down as Chief Executive of The R&A, said it was inevitable the tournament would soon join the prestigious British Amateur and US Amateur Championships as an open event. “Let’s face it, this is the beststaged amateur event in the world,” Dawson said ahead of October’s championship at Royal
The players coming here are getting the top amateur experience in the world Melbourne. “I hesitate to admit it but we have learned at the Amateur Championship in the UK some things that we have implemented that we have seen here. “I think the USGA might feel the same when they get involved in the (inaugural) Latin America Amateur. “So the players coming here are getting the top amateur experience in the world, no question. “They are wowed by it – the smiles on their faces – and it’s
wonderful to see so many of the players who have been successful go on and do so well. It’s a winwin, really.” However, Dawson said the APGC, The R&A and Augusta had no time line for the expansion of the AAC event. “We don’t have a time frame on that,” Dawson said. “We recognised when we began this event that the whole reason for starting it in this region – a real shot at glory – would be better achieved by being a closed event. “As the championship grows
in stature, we’ll be keeping that under review and I’m sure one day it will be an open event.” Masters Tournament chairman Billy Payne said organisers were looking at the issue “all the time”. “At the same time I will tell you straightforwardly and unequivocally, our intention, Augusta National Golf Club, was to develop golf in this area of the world and not to provide an avenue for a Masters invitation to other more developed countries around the world,” Payne said. Dawson said: “When that is completed and the standard of golf in this region, which is booming on very, very fast - if it gets up to where we think we can get, then it will be a stand alone event, I’m sure, but there’s no timetable.” December 2014 ❘ APGC Newsletter ❘ 7
Photo: HK Golfer
Matsumoto claims Asia Pacific Seniors thriller Japan’s Shingo Matsumoto emerged victorious at the Asia-Pacific Senior Amateur Championship at Discovery Bay Golf Club in Hong Kong after outlasting Andrew McKechnie of New Zealand in a gruelling sudden-death playoff.
Wong wins Hong Kong Amateur
Matsumoto, 60, made a solid par four on the sixth extra hole to consign McKechnie, who could only bogey, to second place after the pair had tied in regulation play on a three-day total of five-over 218. Overnight leader Gordon Claney of Australia finished a shot outside the playoff in third place, while the in-form Doug Williams was Hong Kong’s highest-placed finisher. Williams, who won the recent Hong Kong Open Seniors Amateur Championship at Hong Kong Golf Club, tied for fourth, a further stroke adrift. “Andrew is a great player and I was fortunate to come out on top,” said Matsumoto, a two-time Japan Seniors Amateur champion. “But I’m very happy.
Michael Regan Wong became the first local golfer to win the Hong Kong Open Amateur Championship in four years – and with it a start in next month’s Hong Kong Open – thanks to a flawless display at Discovery Bay Golf Club.
Wong, 17, fired a bogey-free final-round 69 to finish on a three-day total of 215 (twoover-par) to edge fellow national squad member and close friend Isaac Lam, 15, by a single shot. Shinichi Mizuno, arguably the pre-tournament favourite after a consistent run of form in recent months, placed third, a further four shots back. “I had two goals this year – to finish in the top 30 at the World Juniors and to qualify for the Hong Kong Open. I wasn’t able to do the first but it feels great to have achieved the second,” said Wong, who got up and down from a tricky position at the final hole to land his biggest win. Chinese Taipei’s Jack Tsai scooped the Mid-Amateur Championship prize, the over-25 competition that was played concurrently with the main event, with a total of 225.
Winner: Shingo Matsumoto (second left) receives his trophy from (left to right) Ning Li of the HK Golf Association, Keisuke Muratsu of the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation and William Chung of Discovery Bay Golf Club. Photo: HK Golfer
It feels great to win after such a long battle and I feel very proud to have my name on the championship trophy.” Australia won the team event by two strokes from New Zealand on a total of 871. Japan placed third on 895, while Hong Kong was fifth on 936. Kapil Dev, the legendary cricketing all-rounder, had a day to forget. The Indian started the day just a shot off the pace, but a lacklustre 80 meant he finished down the field in 13th.
Leading final scores 218 Shingo Matsumoto* JPN Andrew McKechnie NZL 219 Gordon Claney AUS 220 John Batley NZL Doug Williams HKG Michael Barltrop NZL Paul Maslen AUS 221 Vincent Clark AUS 222 Takashi Kamei JPN 224 John Ambridge ENG Denis Dale AUS Eddie Bagtas PHI 225 Kapil Dev IND * Won on the sixth hole of a sudden-death playoff
American Samoa joins APGC American Samoa has become the 39th member nation of the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation.
The small pacific country has a population of 60,000,
one golf course and 15 clubs within the American Samoa Golf Association. There are about 500 golfers in the country and while the association does not receive
an annual subsidy from the American Samoa National Olympic Committee it can apply for funding through Olympic Solidarity to boost the profile of the game.
Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation
Chairman Dr David Cherry
Vice chairman Mr Dilip Thomas
Secretary general Mr Taimur Amin
Treasurer Mr Philip Hassall
Secretary Mr Kyungjae Lee
Championship Mr Zhang Xiaoning Mr Rungsid Committee Luxsitanonda chairman Mr Keisuki Muratsu
Mr Mohammed Faisal Al-Naimi
The Asia Pacific Golf Confederation encourages all member nations to contribute news from their countries for inclusion in the APGC Newsletter. News items can be emailed to the editor Robert Grant at rob.grant1948@gmail.com 8 ❘ APGC Newsletter ❘ December 2014