APGC
Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation Journal
JANUARY 2020
Local hero prevails in thrilling playoff
Contents Local prevails in thrilling playoff From warfare to the fairways
1,3 2
Commitment to game’s growth
3
Michel earns place in pair of majors
4
Teenager clinches historic win
4
Amin outlines his vision for APGC
5
A message from the chairman
5
Royal Melbourne to host second AAC
6
Duff delivers as Kiwis claim victory
6
China’s Yuxin Lin brought immense cheers to his home fans when he twice birdied the par-five 18th in a playoff to beat defending champion and world No.1 Takumi Kanaya and become the second twotime winner of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship.
At Sheshan International Golf Club in Shanghai, 2017 champion Lin (68) came to the par-five 18th hole at 11-under but hit his second shot from the
fairway bunker into the water and made a bogey. Kanaya (69) laid up perfectly and hit his third shot to less than five feet but missed the birdie putt that would have made him the second player to successfully defend his title after fellow AAC champion Hideki Matsuyama (2010-11) of Japan. The duo both finished 10-under-par to enter the first playoff in the championship’s history. Both then birdied
the first extra hole, No.18, in incredible fashion. Lin muscled his ball out of thick rough with almost no stance, while Kanaya sank a 30-foot putt. Returning to No.18 for the second extra hole, it was all over when Lin hit a superb third shot from the greenside bunker to three feet and made the putt, while Kanaya missed from a longer range. n Continued page 3
From warfare to fairway: Ali charting fresh course There are some who take the road less travelled. And then there is Imran Ali, who believes in making his own roads.
The opening tee shot of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship had yet to be struck, but the 39-year-old (pictured) – the first player from Afghanistan to take part in the history of the event – was already feeling like a champion. From Kabul to Shanghai, it has been a remarkable journey for Ali. Life hasn’t exactly been a smooth fairway for him and he has smelled more gunpowder than roses along the way. However, that has not stopped him from keeping others out of the rough. Ali is single-handedly ushering a green revolution in his nation. In the span of 12 years, he has helped grow the number of golfers in Afghanistan from less than a dozen to nearly 250 – all in a country that has just one nine-hole golf course, which once had more active landmines than grass in its fairways. Born a year after his country was invaded by the Soviet army in 1979, Ali had barely started walking when his parents had to flee Kabul as the war began to escalate. They lived in Pakistani cities of Peshawar and Quetta as refugees for nearly two decades before moving back in 2003. Those were tough times for Ali and his family, but he is thankful for several reasons – beginning with the fact he is still alive. Ali managed to complete his education in Pakistan, where he fell in love with golf. “I was in Quetta with my grandfather, who used to play some golf,” Ali said. “He once gave me a very old fairway wood, which was actually made of wood, and I started hitting old balls with a few other kids in a bare patch of 2 ❘ APGC Newsletter ❘ JANUARY 2020
‘The Kabul Golf Club is about 10km outside the city. And given that we have bomb blasts taking place on a weekly basis, the commute is made in constant fear.’ land next to our house. I used to cherish those moments. My grandfather saw the interest in me and taught me some of the basics of the game. “We then moved back to Kabul in 2003 and I started working as a translator. We’d get many Americans who’d go and play a round at Kabul Golf Club. They’d find it intriguing that I could hit decent shots and would invite me to play with them.” In 2007, Ali decided he needed to do something so his friends and fellow Afghanis could derive the same pleasure from golf that he did. He formed and registered the Afghanistan Golf Federation that year. A guest at the club told him he should also request recognition from The R&A and he managed to get the world governing body’s nod in 2009. “We were some eight to 10 players [mostly caddies who had picked up the game] when the Federation was formed,” said Ali, who is now the general secretary of the Federation. “We then opened a chapter in the city of Herat, where we have about 100 players now, and in Bamiyan, where we have 40 players. We don’t have any golf courses in these two cities, but we get together and
play in open fields. I started teaching as well and I love it. I am teaching a dozen young children, including a few girls, at the moment. A couple of them have very good swings and if I can get them to play at the Asian level, I’d think I have achieved something.” These days, Ali is busy with his pet project – designing and building a driving range in the heart of Kabul city. “The Kabul Golf Club is about 10km outside the city. And given that we have bomb blasts taking place on a weekly basis, the commute is made in constant fear that something might happen,” he said. “I had a few ladies and kids who come to play at our golf course, but they were too afraid. So, I have been after the Ministry of Telecommunication who had a piece on land in the city – about 290 yards long and 30 yards wide. “After pleading for years, they have finally given it to us. “We want to make a driving range and a good-quality practice green there. I work as an IT professional in the Ministry of Finance, and I have managed to get a grant of 2.5 million afghani (local currency) for putting up a boundary wall and
nets and to also create a good putting green. I think something like this in the heart of the city could be a game-changer.” Ali did not believe he would be around for the weekend at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, but that did not dampen his spirits. “Every time I go to play a tournament abroad, my biggest issue is my game on and around the greens,” he said. “Forget the greens in worldclass facilities like here in Sheshan, even sub-standard greens are way better than what we have at Kabul Golf Club. I can hit my driver and woods well, and I am good with my irons, but it takes me at least a few days to get used to greens when I go to play tournaments abroad. By the time I figure them out, it is already too late. “But, for me, a tournament like the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship is not about winning or losing … it is about taking part. “I am proud that I am able to fly the Afghanistan flag here and that I will be able to play against such great players from established countries like Japan, Australia and South Korea. “Just being here is an achievement for me and Afghanistan golf.”
FOCUS ON GAME’S GROWTH The Founding Partners of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship have hailed the growing depth of the field – highlighted by fact the recently held championship featured a reigning world No.1 for the first time in its 11-year history – and praised the effort and ambition of players from developing countries to get better.
The region’s premier amateur championship – cofounded by the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation, the Masters Tournament and The R&A in 2009 – was held at the Sheshan International Golf Club, with Japan’s Takumi Kanaya defending his title after climbing back to the top spot in the World Amateur Golf Rankings. The AAC is one of the five ‘elite’ WAGR events and has an impressive Roll of Honour that includes Japanese superstar Hideki Matsuyama (champion in both 2010 and 2011), China’s Guan Tianlang (2012) and Australia’s Curtis Luck (2016). Fred Ridley, chairman of Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament, said: “If you think back to 2009, the stated goal of this championship was to provide a world‑class, competitive experience on some of the greatest venues in this part
In charge: From left, Key AAC officials Fred Ridley, Kei Muratsu and Martin Slumbers at Sheshan International Golf Club in Shanghai. Picture: AAC
of the world, and we think that certainly happened. By doing so, the young men who were coming here from all over the region would go back home as role models for youngsters in their parts of the world and hopefully stimulate interest. “In 2009, we had 29 participating countries and territories, and that has increased over the past 10 years to 42. Martin Slumbers, chief executive of The R&A, said while the top players had become stronger it was important the Founding Partners kept trying to improve the standard of the weaker golf nations.
“I have always said that, for me, it’s as important who wins as who plays in the bottom half of the field and how well they play,” he said. In an effort to develop the players from countries where golf is not very popular, the Founding Partners organised a week-long AAC Academy for 12 players from six countries in Singapore’s Sentosa Golf in June. “We did the academy for the first time … if you look at the big countries, they have a machine for developing great players. But for some of the smaller countries, they don’t have that opportunity,” Slumbers
said. “So, we took these players to Sentosa Golf Club for a week. We brought some of the best coaches, nutritionists and sports scientists from around the region and we exposed the players to all of that coaching. Our total intention was: can we help them move up and give them the skills to be able to fulfil their own destiny and their own skill level?” Kei Muratsu, chairman of the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation, thanked Augusta National Golf Club and The R&A, adding: “Their hard work has contributed greatly to the growth and development of this championship, and for that we are very appreciative. “The legacy that this championship and these players leave for the next generation of golfers is just as significant as the play on the course. The collective goal of the Founding Partners is to help develop the game and inspire the greater participation throughout the region. “We are confident the future of the sport has never been stronger in the Asia-Pacific.” The championship was supported by five Proud Partners – 3M, AT&T, Delta, MercedesBenz and UPS – and two Scoring Partners, Rolex and IBM.
Local hero prevails in thrilling playoff n From page 1
It was the perfect homecoming for Lin, who earned an invitation to this year’s Masters Tournament and The 149th Open at Royal St George’s. After shifting his home base to Los Angeles, where he is now a freshman at the University of Southern California, it was a poignant moment for the 18-year-old Chinese star, who had his father on the bag. “It definitely means a lot to me, especially this week,” Lin said. “Winning at home is
certainly huge for me – and for China golf, as well. I’m just really honoured to be alongside Hideki as a two‑time winner.” The 18th hole had proven troublesome for Lin, who played the hole in four-over-par over his last three rounds. “I was having a little trouble with the 18th three days in a row,” he said. “We knew there were extra holes coming up and stepping on the 18th again wasn’t a great feeling for me. And especially that lie off the tee shot, in the first extra hole, definitely not
what you wanted. But at least everything turned out pretty well, so pretty satisfied,” added the world No.114, who clinched his first AAC title with an impressive birdie-eagle finish at Royal Wellington Golf Club in New Zealand. Kanaya, who gained a spot in The Open Qualifying Series as runner-up, revealed his plans to return to the 2020 AAC at Australia’s Royal Melbourne Golf Club for another shot at the title. “I came here with the sole aim of winning the tournament,” he said.
“I did not have the best first round, but I am very proud of the way I fought back. I am so happy for Yuxin, and I will be watching him play the majors and rooting for him. Chinese Taipei’s Yung-Hua Liu was in contention for the playoff but three-putted for a bogey on the final hole and finished in a tie for third place at nine-under. Also finishing at nine-under was Thailand’s Tanapat Pichaikool. Chinese Taipei’s Chun An Yu, Singapore’s James Leow and Japan’s Ren Yonezawa finished in a tie for fifth at eight-under. JANUARY 2020 ❘ APGC Newsletter ❘ 3
Michel earns place in majors with win Australian Lukas Michel will play in the 2020 Masters and US Open.
Michel, 25, pulled off another remarkable comeback to become the first international winner of the United States Mid-Amateur Championship at the Colorado Golf Club. A member at Metropolitan Golf Club and a key component of the past three triumphant Victorian Interstate Series teams, Michel toppled Mississippi’s Joseph Deraney in a pulsating final. The 2&1 victory in the 36hole decider on the rock-hard course south of Denver punched the Aussie’s ticket to two major 2020 championships. “Unbelievable … almost too good to be true,” he said when asked how the title sounded. “I guess it will sink in in the coming hours or days. But, yeah, I mean, I’m looking forward to what comes with it in the future for my golf.” Remarkably, Michel became the second Australian to win a USGA event in 2019, after fellow Melburnian Gabi Ruffels claimed the US Women’s Amateur crown in August. Another Victorian, Sue Wooster, was also runner-up in the recent US Senior Women’s Amateur. Michel’s victory earned him an invitation to play Augusta National in April’s Masters, and also a berth in the US Open at famous Winged Foot in New York, the site of compatriot Geoff Ogilvy’s 2006 major triumph. “I wore a Winged Foot sweater for the first nine holes today. Played there last year. Just a casual round with a member … so I guess I’ve got an early look at the course there,” Michel said. “(But it’s) unbelievable. I mean, many, many golfers, the best in the world, don’t get the 4 ❘ APGC Newsletter ❘ JANUARY 2020
TEENAGER clinches historic TRIUMPH Gabriela Ruffels has become the first Australian in the 119year history of the US Women’s Amateur to take the title
Winners are grinners: Lukas Michel and (inset) fellow Aussie Gabriela Ruffels. Pictures: USGA/Chris Keane, USGA/Steven Gibbons
opportunity to play a major, let alone the US Open. “And as a kid growing up in Australia, watching the Masters final round on a Monday morning is pretty much the best morning of the year. “Yeah, can’t wait.” Five birdies in his final 11 holes enabled Michel to close out victory on the 35th green with what turned into an awkward par. He and Deraney hit the green on the long par-three, with Michel to putt first. A solid, curling lag putt finished about three feet from the cup, narrowly outside what might have been “gimme” range. Deraney’s birdie putt to win the hole and extend the match slipped narrowly by and, when he took off his hat in frustration, it was initially thought by observers to be a sign of concession to Michel. “With the length of it (my second putt), I was like really confused,” Michel said. “That putt is not a conceded putt. But he came up, shook my hand, and I think he said, ‘Sorry,
that’s not good, I thought it was shorter’, or something like that. “I was like, ‘OK’. (I was) not sure what was going on with that. I just had to reset and still holed the putt.” A day earlier, Michel had won the final three holes of his semifinal to beat previous champion Stewart Hagestad 2-up and taken 20 holes to win his quarter-final. He’d been 2-down through 10 holes in his Round of 32 match and also trailed early in his Round of 64 match. Michel cited great putting as his chief weapon throughout the week, helping his rallies. “Putting is the last thing you do on a hole, so when you’re having a good putting day it’s obviously going to look like you’re doing everything you can to get back in the hole, which is, I guess, what I did,” he said. “It wasn’t my best ballstriking day. It was mediocre. Joe hit the ball way better than me. But when you’re putting good it always looks like you’re sort of coming from behind and making it happen”. – Golf Australia
The 19-year-old beat Switzerland’s Albane Valenzuela 1-up in the 36-hole final at Old Waverly Golf Club in Mississippi. The win followed her triumph at the North and South amateur in the lead-up, and confirmed her status as one of Australia’s most promising golfers. Ruffels only took up golf at 15, having been part of the national elite programs of tennis. Her parents, Ray and Anna Maria, were touring professional tennis players and both Gabriela and her elder brother Ryan were born in Florida, where the Ruffels were the tennis pros at the Isleworth community where many professional golfers reside. Ruffels and her brother, who turned professional and went on the PGA Tour’s South American swing as well as in Canada, both grew up in Australia. In an epic final, Ruffels – who has entered the American college system, studying at the University of Southern California – birdied the last two holes to close it out, rolling in a beautiful, curling four-metre putt at the 36th hole to ensure that she won the title. She had broken the tie with a birdie at the 35th, but it was an epic final with all kinds of momentum swings. Ruffels was 3-up through 11 holes of the morning session, having made three consecutive birdies from the eighth to the 10th, but she lost the advantage by the 17th and Valenzuela, two years her senior, was either in front or tied for the lead for most of the afternoon session. Only two Australians – Anne Marie Knight and Lindy Goggin – had ever previously reached the US Women’s Amateur final. – Golf Australia
Amin outlines his vision Pakistan’s most decorated amateur golfer, Taimur Hassan Amin, has taken over the reins as chairman of the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation.
Amin succeeded Japan’s Kei Muratsu, who recently completed a two-year term. Well-known New Zealand golf administrator Philip Hassall is the new vice-chairman and will retain the position of treasurer. Amin, 67, is based in Islamabad. After secondary schooling, he gained degrees in arts, economics and psychology from Gordon College, Rawal Pindi and Government College, Islamabad. He began playing golf in 1964 at age 12 and within three months won that year’s Pakistan Junior National Championship. He then won the Senior Boys Championship at 14 in 1966, following this by becoming the youngest national champion at age 18 in 1970. Amin has since collected many national and international titles, and has won every tournament in Pakistan several times. Among his victories are 16 Pakistan National Amateur championships – 11 of them in a row from 1970-81. He is also a three-time Pakistan Open champion, and has won the Nomura Trophy (in Malaysia in 1970) and AsiaPacific Senior Championship (in Thailand in 2010). He has played for and captained the Pakistan golf team for more than 25 years. Amin was elected honorary secretary of the Pakistan Golf Federation under the Presidency of COAS General Ashfaq Pervez Kayani from 2005-13. A vice-president of the Pakistan Golf Federation from 201317, he was invited to join the APGC under the chairmanship of Tommy Lee in 2006 before becoming vice-chairman in 2017 and chairman in 2019. Amin has extensive experience both on and off the course
A message from the chairman The APGC had its AGM and elections on September 24 in Shanghai, China, where Mr Philip Hassall from New Zealand and myself from Pakistan were elected as vicechairman and chairman for the current two-year term.
The board and I would like to thank outgoing chairman Kei Murastu for his guidance and leadership, with further special thanks to our outgoing secretary general Mr KJ Lee for the time and effort he put in to help the APGC run and grow. The APGC is in a healthy state, with 43 national federations and four ladies golf associations. We organise nine annual tournaments with various partners and sponsors. The APGC is very fortunate to have two of the world’s most prominent golfing bodies as our partners. Together with our valued partners, The R&A and Augusta National, we host the Asian Amateur Championship for men and the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship, which have developed into premier events in the world of amateur golf. The individual winners of these two championships get a direct entry into the US Masters and The Open for the men and The Ladies British Open and the Evian Masters for the women. These events give opportunities to young men and women in our region to participate in the most famous tournaments in the world at the highest level. Our co-operation with the
International Golf Federation has been strengthened through our representation on their administrative committee and sanctioning of the Asian games. Our relationship with the European Golf Association has grown with the introduction of our juniors participating in each other’s events and of course the continuation of the Bonallack and Patsy Hankins trophies. I have ensured our relationship with prestigious sponsors such as Rolex and Mitsubishi Corporation remains strong and continuous. While the APGC is fully aware of the great opportunities for many of the players from the golf-developed countries, I will be looking at opportunities and emphasise the upgrading of less-developed golfing nations. Our aim is to create specific zones within our region and endeavour to encourage the member countries in scheduling the national championships in their zone to allow maximum participation of players. This will not only help improve the regional standard and closer working relationships within member countries but
and has been a member of the administrative Committee of the International Golf Federation. A businessman for more than 40 years (and member of The R&A since 2010), he is the majority shareholder and chief executive of Excel Trade International, a leading supplier
of Industrial Chemical suppliers for water treatment. Amin is married and has three sons. Hassall has been on the APGC for 12 years and has been treasurer for the past four. He has a long association with New Zealand golf, having served as chairman for seven years.
also raise the level of golf and help players gain more world ranking points, which might give them the opportunity to get scholarships to US colleges. I attended the APGC Senior Championship in Malaysia as my first tournament as APGC chairman. I was pleased by the commitment and enjoyment the participants took in competing against each other. A special thanks to the MGA for hosting the championship and we look forward to them sanctioning more of our events in future. The R&A has seen the improved standard of our seniors and confirmed that the individual winner of the APGC Senior Championship will get a direct entry to participate in The R&A Senior Amateur Championship in the UK. I would like to establish a sub-committee within the APGC to help, guide and encourage talented young men and women to at least complete their highschool studies and enjoy the tournaments on the amateur circuit before turning to the world of professional golf. This committee would help them understand the pitfalls and pressures of the professional golf tour and show them other opportunities within the industry. We need to listen to our members’ countries, assess their needs, and try to help them develop their shortcomings. I look forward to your support and suggestions on areas which we can improve. – Taimur Hassan Amin He oversaw the amalgamation of the men’s and women’s golf bodies and served as president for six years before retiring in December 2018. A life member of New Zealand Golf, he is CEO of Medical Imaging Company in his home city of Hamilton. JANUARY 2020 ❘ APGC Newsletter ❘ 5
ROYAL MELBOURNE HOSTS SECOND AAC The Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship will return to The Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Australia, which hosted the 2014 AAC, for its 12th edition from October 29 to November 1.
Championship organisers made the announcement from Sheshan International Golf Club in Shanghai during the first round of the 2019 event. Founded in 2009 by the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation, the Masters Tournament and The R&A, the AAC was established to further develop amateur golf in the Asia-Pacific region. The champion receives an invitation to compete in the Masters Tournament and The Open, while the runner(s)up gain a place in Final Qualifying for The Open. “One of the goals of the AsiaPacific Amateur Championship was to show the world how golf is growing in our region,” said Kei Muratsu, chairman of the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation at the 2019 event. “The success of this championship and the quality of the competitors in this field are shining examples of those goals coming to life. We are confident that (the) return to Australia will mark another wonderful chapter in the legacy of the AAC. Andrew Kirby, captain of The Royal Melbourne Golf Club said: “We are thrilled to host the Asia-Pacific Amateur
Former champ: Antonio Murdaca won the 2014 AAC at Royal Melbourne.
Championship once again and bring this exceptional event back to The Royal Melbourne Golf Club. Our courses are among the best in the world, and we have been fortunate to host national and international events challenging many of the world’s top players.” This year’s championship will mark the second edition of the AAC in Australia in its 12-year history, and the first time it has returned to a past venue. The country is home to two past champions – Curtis Luck in 2016 and Antonio Murdaca, who was crowned champion at Royal Melbourne in 2014. Golf Australia chairman Andrew Newbold said: “Hosting the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship is a unique and important way that we as a country can support and grow the game of golf in this region. “Our mission is to advance and expand the game from grassroots participation to elite levels of competition. This event
enables our amateurs to compete for the most highly coveted opportunities in the sport while inspiring the next generation.” The Royal Melbourne Golf Club’s par-72, 6645-yard West Course was designed by Alister MacKenzie and the par-71, 6579-yard East Course was designed by MacKenzie’s Australian partner Alex Russell. In 1959, the club created a new ‘Composite Course’ for the Canada Cup by combining 12 holes from the West course and six from the East. The 2020 AsiaPacific Amateur Championship will take place on the Composite Course, which was used during the 2014 championship. The club has a strong history of hosting top-tier Australian events as well as international competitions, including the Presidents Cup (1998, 2011, 2019), World Cup (1959, 1972, 1988, 2013), Eisenhower Trophy (1968) and numerous Men’s and Women’s Australian Open Championships.
Duff delivers, senior Kiwis claim victory Stuart Duff has led the New Zealand side to a famous victory at the Asia-Pacific Seniors at Sungai Long Golf and Country Club in Malaysia, while also winning the individual honours.
The Kiwi team of Duff (Hastings), Peter Brinsdon (Pegasus), Brent Paterson (Royal Auckland Grange), Tony Chettleburgh (Feilding), Craig Newman (Nelson) and John Batley (Titirangi) won the teams event at the Asia-Pacific Seniors by nine shots over Tasman neighbours Australia. The Kiwis finished eight-overpar for the championship, which saw a 12-shot turnaround with their closest rivals as they began the day three shots behind. This led to a huge final-day push for the New Zealanders. Duff wrapped up the individual trophy with rounds of 73, 71 and 72 to finish at even-par, one shot clear of first-round leader and teammate Brinsdon, who had rounds of 70, 77, and 70 to help get the Kiwis over the line. Chettleburgh also made the top 10. The win broke a two-year bridesmaid record for the team and kept the individual honours in New Zealand, having been in Paterson’s grasp for the previous two years. New Zealand had team rounds of 294, 290, and 288 in hot and sticky conditions. The best four of six individual scores counted towards the team total every day.
Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation
Chairman Mr Taimur Amin
Vice Chairman and Treasurer Mr Philip Hassall
Mr Mohammed Faisal Al-Naimi
Rae Vadee T.Suwan
Nobuko Hirayama
Dato’ Rabeahtul Aloya Abbas
Mr Ishwar Achanta
John Hopkins
Zhang Xiaoning
Mr Hyung-mo Kang
The Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation encourages all member nations to contribute news from their countries for inclusion in the APGC journal. News items can be emailed to editor Robert Grant at rob.grant1948@gmail.com 6 ❘ APGC Newsletter ❘ JANUARY 2020