APGC
Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation Journal
September 2016
On top: The Korean team celebrate their victory.
Korea claims consecutive APGC junior titles Contents Asian players perform in Rio 3 US amateur champ boosts AAC field 4 Chairman’s message 5 NZ invests in Asia-Pacific Championship 5 Qatar spot for Asia-Pacific winner 6 Teen collects Singapore Amateur Open 6 Koreans, Scots play Troon day after Open 7 Australia throws down gauntlet 7 Kho wins HK Junior Open 8 Sustainability seminar in Beijing 8 HK Golf CEO steps down 9 Murdaca’s tentative US pro start 9 Seong claims US Women’s Amateur 10 Local star wins Malaysian Amateur 10
Korea has successfully defended the APGC Junior Championship Mitsubishi Corporation Cup after a tense playoff battle with Thailand at the Sunrise Golf & Country Club in Taoyuan City, Taiwan.
Min-kyu Kim and Min-ji Park overpowered the Thai team of Atiruj Winaicharoenchai and Pajaree Anannarukarn after two extra playoff holes. Both teams had finished tied for the lead at 10-under the card after regulation play.
Min-ji Park also won the female individual game with three-under-par 69, becoming the dual winner of this year. She will be invited to play the Kia Motors Korea Women’s Open Golf Championship 2017. There was also a playoff for third with the Taiwanese team Ting-Wei Hsieh and Jo-Hua Hung finishing tied at five-under par with Thais Ekpharit Wu and Thitapa Pakdeesettakul. A birdie from Hung ensured they finished third.
Australia’s Jed Morgan shot a two-under par 70 to win the males’ individual game and will be invited to participate in the Asia-Pacific Open Golf Championship Diamond Cup 2016, scheduled for Japan in September. The 16-year-old from Brisbane produced a stunning finish to collect the individual crown. He said he was doing “nothing really wrong”, but had stumbled n Continued page 2
Korea claims APGC junior title n From page 1
to three-over without a birdie with six holes to play as he and partner Kathryn Norris, 15, of Western Australia, tried to reach the top 10 of the team competition. But he then raced home with five birdies in six holes to collect the trophy by one shot. “It was an awesome feeling, the last six holes especially,” Morgan said. “I’d done nothing really wrong and I just kept thinking that I had plenty of opportunities left to come.” Korean winners Kim and Park said that it was their first time in Taiwan and they were delighted to win the championship. “We have been enjoying the game very much and it was not easy to win because the other players, such as the Taiwanese and Thai players, are very strong too.” Min-ji Park, the dual winner, is 126th in the World Amateur Golf Rankings – the highest ranking in all of the female players in this event. However, she maintained she put no pressure on herself. “Although I felt a little nervous, I am happy with the whole game” she said. Ting-Wei Hsieh and Jo-Hua Hung, on top of the leaderboard heading into the final round, stumbled as Hsieh slumped to a 78. This left them tied with the second Thai team with a total of five-under-par 283. According to the conditions, they also had to play off for the third-place trophy. Hung said although they missed the opportunity to win the championship, she still felt happy with third place and very grateful to her teammate Hsieh. This year, the APGC invited two European teams to compete in the event. Adrien Dumont de Chassart and partner Elina Saksa finished a creditable tie for 10th at five over the card while Jakub Hrinda and 2 ❘ APGC Newsletter ❘ SEPTEMBER 2016
Impressive: Sixteen-year-old Australian Jed Morgan and Korea’s Min-ji Park.
Sarah Hricikova took a share of 16th at 14 over. APGC secretary Mr K. J. Lee said there were mutual benefits from an exchange of European and Asian teams. “If we can collaborate in junior golf it can help the game a lot,” Mr Lee said. “We truly believe this is an interesting idea to pursue.”
The APGC Junior Championship will be held in Hong Kong for the next two years. Nick Shan, who works for The R&A, made his APGC debut as Tournament Director at the Junior Championships. South African-born and Singapore-based, Nick will be working for the APGC as Tournament Director for the
organisation’s events, apart from the AAC. His next assignment will be overseeing the APGC Senior Championship in the Philippines from November 16-18. Japan Golf Association official Yuji Okubo acted as Chief Referee for the junior event and the APGC is pleased to welcome both to the Confederation.
Asian players perform in Rio
Olympian: Tiffany Chan was one of many well-performed Asian players at the Rio Olympics.
Hong Kong’s Tiffany Chan and Pan Cheng-tsung of Chinese Taipei produced impressive performances competing among the best players in the world at the Rio Olympics.
Chan, one of only three amateurs in the women’s field, finished four over the card on 288 after firing a closing-round 69. South Korean star Inbee Park won the gold medal, ahead of New Zealand teenager Lydia Ko while China’s Feng Shanshan took bronze. Pan, a former APGC player, now aiming for the US PGA Tour, had a share of 30th behind the gold medal winner, England’s Justin Rose.
A former world No.1 amateur, in 2013, Pan could not manage an Olympic medal – but has two golds for individual and team play from the 2014 Asian Games. He made the cut at last year’s US Open and sealed his first pro win in July last year at The Players Cup on PGA Tour Canada. Pan also won the Cape Breton Celtic Classic two months later. Chan played solidly throughout the week and the 22-year-old was confident the Olympic experience would help in her bid to win a US player’s card in the LPGA Tour’s qualifying school in California. “Maybe at the next Olympics
we can have a few more Hong Kong players out there, they’ll know they can do it,” Chan told the South China Morning Post. “I’m willing to share and I hope there’s more coming up.” Multiple tour winner Park said she cherished her Olympic gold medal more than any of her other titles, saying: “I feel extremely honoured and proud that I get to win a gold medal in the Olympic Games.” Feng was only one shot better than Chan after the first round but sped away over the following three days. She said she hoped her success would boost the game in China. “It is unbelievable because I
came in the last round in fourth and I knew I would have a chance but I didn’t want to give myself any pressure so I didn’t look at the leaderboard the whole time,” she said. “And I didn’t know where I was at, actually, until I finished on the 18th and I asked my caddy, ‘Where am I?’ and he said, ‘You are tied for second’ and I was like, ‘What, I got a medal?’. “You know China is a very strong country at the Olympics, I am just one of the Chinese athletes to get a medal this time but what makes it special is I am a golfer and it is the first time a Chinese golfer is playing in it.”
Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation
Chairman Dr David Cherry
Vice Chairman Treasurer Mr Keisuki Mr Philip Muratsu Hassall
Secretary Mr Kyungjae Lee
Mr Taimur Amin Mr Zhang Xiaoning
Mr Mohammed Rae Vadee Faisal Al-Naimi T.Suwan
Nobuko Hirayama
Dato’ Rabeahtul Ning Li Aloya Abbas
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 SEPTEMBER 2016 ❘ APGC Newsletter ❘ 3
US amateur champ boosts AAC field Young Australian Curtis Luck has burst into favouritism for the Asian Amateur Championship in Korea after sweeping to victory in the US Amateur title.
Luck galloped to success on the back of a sizzling streak, winning eight consecutive holes to seal a six and four rout of American Brad Dalke at Oakland Hills. He became only the third Australian-born US Amateur champion, joining Nick Flanagan (2003) and Walter Travis (1900, 1901 and 1903). The victory will bring Luck spots in next year’s US Masters, US Open and British Open, provided he remains an amateur. Luck said he’d been thinking about turning pro after the Asian Amateur in October but would be delaying that to enjoy the majors opportunities. “Playing these events gives you that opportunity to get into some events that aren’t worth turning pro to miss,” Luck said. “I’m super happy to say that I’m going to be an amateur for another however long – eight or nine months – get to play some unbelievable golf tournaments within those months, and I guess get even more experience for when I do turn pro.” The final on the South Course at Oakland Hills was all square after 18, and Dalke won the first hole after the break. Luck, who was seventh in the world amateur rankings, answered with an eagle on the 20th to square the match before accelerating away from the American. Dalke complimented Luck’s golf, particularly his short game. “He’s just solid. He makes a lot of good swings at it, doesn’t get really wayward with the driver, great short game,” Dalke said. 4 ❘ APGC Newsletter ❘ SEPTEMBER 2016
Luck on his side: Australia’s Curtis Luck has won the US Amateur title.
“He’s never out of a hole. He could be in a trash can 20 yards from the green and still get up and down.” Luck showed those skills in his hard-fought 21-hole semi-final win over Nick Carlson on the Saturday. He got up and down from about 135 yards in a bunker on the second extra hole to keep that match going. “I know he’s a fighter and I know those pressure situations are really what switches him on,” said Luck’s father Stuart, who caddied for him. Meanwhile, New Zealand is confident in its team, which will travel to Seoul for the eighth edition of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) from October 6-9. Representing New Zealand this year based on their world
amateur golf rankings will be Nick Voke (105), Ryan Chisnall (114), Luke Toomey (126), Nick Coxon (163), Daniel Hillier (201) and Luke Brown (282). The AAC is played annually at a different venue throughout the Asia-Pacific region. Organised by the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation in conjunction with The Masters Tournament and The R&A, the champion receives an invitation to the Masters and, along with the runner-up, gains entry to The Open Qualifying Series for The Open Championship. The tournament is broadcasted to more than 150 countries and has special interest this year in New Zealand with Royal Wellington awarded hosting rights for the 2017 tournament. The Kiwi side has a great mix of experience and youth with
Voke, Chisnall, Toomey and Coxon all being part of the 2015 side that impressed in Hong Kong. It is also an exciting opportunity for debutants such as Hillier who had a stand-out summer as he looks to test himself against the world’s best. Since its inauguration in 2009, the AAC has produced an impressive list of winners, including two-time champion Hideki Matsuyama of Japan, who has risen to world No.19 and continues to be dominant on the world stage. Continuing under its banner of ‘Creating Future Heroes’, the AAC will feature 120 players from the APGC’s 39 member associations and will be played over 72-holes of stroke play, with a cut for the leading 60 players plus ties after 36 holes.
Chairman’s message
APGC Chairman Dr David Cherry The APGC has entered a busy time of the year with the recently completed APGC Junior event at Sunrise Golf and Country Club in Chinese Taipei. With significant sponsorship from the Mitsubishi Corporation, the APGC has been able to make large contributions to the travel costs of attending member countries, which has seen an increase to 18 in the number of members that have competed as well as a team from the European Golf Association. I want to thank the Golf Association Republic of China and in particular Melanie and Heidi for the manner in which they have run this championship – getting the event off to a great start, and we look forward to moving to Hong Kong next year. Tiffany Chan from Hong Kong was one of only three amateurs from around the world who competed with distinction in the Olympic Games – she has had an excellent year and no doubt playing in the initial Patsy Hankin’s Trophy early in the year in Portugal has helped her. The APGC has another winner of the US Amateur in Curtis Luck from Western Australia – congratulations to him. Along with Jin Cheng, he will be a strong favourite for this year’s AAC to be held in Seoul in early October. Given the strength of South Korean golf it is difficult to think a local player will not also be among the leaders.
The APGC Board remains very focused on developing an amateur championship for women in the Asia Pacific region befitting the status of women’s golf in the Asia Pacific region, where we lead the way – much due to the expertise of our Korean women. In order to develop a championship of such stature, the APGC has formed a partnership with the R&A to help develop the funding required to stage this event on an annual basis and at a sustainable level. We (the R&A and APGC) hope to be able to make a press release in early 2017 regarding this event, which will probably be first held in 2018. The APGC is indeed fortunate to have the backing of the R&A in this huge venture. I met with our General Secretary, K. J. Lee and Philip Hassall, our Treasurer, in Wellington, New Zealand, while the team responsible for the AAC was doing a site visit. The Royal Wellington course has undergone major redevelopment and with the New Zealand Government behind the venture, the AAC in 2017 will be a huge success. The purpose of the meeting, however, was to rewrite our constitution, so it is understandable by other than constitutional lawyers where English is their first language. We managed to copy the European Golf
Association constitution, but on return to Australia, I was reliably informed that in order to comply with the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC), significant changes (at not inconsiderable cost) would need to be made in order for the new constitution (based on the EGA) to be established. At this point, the three of us (K. J. Lee, Philip Hassall and myself) decided we would make some changes to the current constitution, deleting all reference to the Executive Committee (which is replaced by the Board) and some other minor changes making the APGC more democratic. These changes have been circulated to all members and will be voted upon at the AGM in Seoul on the Wednesday of the AAC. Lastly, I was delighted to learn from Board member Dato’ Rabeahtul Aloya Abbas (known to us as Rabey) that a team from Iran played in the Malaysian Ladies Open Amateur. I asked Rabey to focus on encouraging Muslim women into golf as from my experience, they were underrepresented. In the next newsletter, I will be reporting on the outcome of the AGM, the AAC in Seoul, and the Mitsubishi Asia Pacific Diamond Cup in Osaka, Japan (a professional Japan Tour event) where APGC gets 10 invitations for its top amateurs.
NZ Govt invests in Asia-Pacific Championship New Zealand’s Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Sport and Recreation Minister Jonathan Coleman have announced that the Major Events Development Fund (MEDF) will invest $900,000 to support the Royal Wellington Golf Club in hosting the Asia-Pacific Amateur Golf Championship next year.
“The four-day tournament will be broadcast live to more than 150 countries and attract a number of the world’s golf media to New Zealand. The tournament provides a strong platform to
showcase New Zealand as a great tourism and golf-tourism destination,” Mr Joyce said. “The Asia-Pacific Amateur Golf Championship is one of the leading amateur tournaments in the world and was established to promote the development of amateur golfers in the AsiaPacific region.” Dr Coleman added: “This is a fantastic opportunity for New Zealand and a real coup for the Wellington Golf Club. “This tournament is likely to be the most significant one-off
golf event to be held in New Zealand, and we look forward to welcoming members from The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, The Augusta National Golf Club, and The Asia Pacific Golf Confederation to New Zealand. “This tournament is an exciting occasion for New Zealanders, who will have the opportunity to attend the event free of charge and see many of the world’s up and coming golf stars compete at a world-class event.”
The Royal Wellington Golf Club will host the 72-hole stroke play tournament from October 23-30, 2017, when 120 of the best amateur male golfers from 40 Asia-Pacific countries travel to New Zealand for the tournament. The tournament was founded in 2009 by The R&A of St Andrews Scotland, The Masters Tournament of Georgia, United States, and The Asia Pacific Golf Confederation, and takes place annually within the Asia-Pacific region. SEPTEMBER 2016 ❘ APGC Newsletter ❘ 5
QATAR MASTERS SPOT FOR ASIA-PACIFIC WINNER
Looking good: The stunning Doha Golf Club.
The Qatar Masters is the latest championship to offer the winner of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship a spot in the field.
The Qatar Golf Association made the decision in July to offer a place to the winner of this year’s tournament in the 2017 Qatar Masters. The prestigious Qatar event has since 1998 been hosted by Doha Golf Club. It is staged
at the beginning of each year as part of The European Tour. Many of the world’s top golfers compete on Doha Golf Club’s unique and challenging desert-type Championship Course – one of the longest par-72 courses on the tour. Designed by Peter Harradine and unveiled in 1997, the 7374-yard Championship Course features eight strategically positioned
lakes, 65 giant cacti, several imposing limestone rock formations and an abundance of lush and lengthy green fairways, presenting a startling contrast to the desert that lies beyond. Apart from the Qatar championship, the Asia-Pacific winner gains a spot in The Masters as well as final qualifying for The Open.
INDONESIAN TEEN COLLECTS SINGAPORE AMATEUR OPEN Indonesia’s top amateur Inez Beatrice Wanamarta has claimed the Singapore Ladies Golf Association (SLGA) Amateur Open Championship.
She topped a field of 95 players to win the event at the Keppel Club and also earned a coveted invitation to play at next year’s The Dalat 1200 Ladies Championship, a $US420,000 professional tournament in Vietnam on the Korean LPGA Tour. 6 ❘ APGC Newsletter ❘ SEPTEMBER 2016
Entering the final round of the three-day SLGA event, Inez was four strokes behind overnight leader Onkanok Soisuwan of Thailand. The 16-year-old from Surabaya fired three birdies with only one bogey to close with a two-under 70 for a total of fiveunder 211. She finished a stroke ahead of 21-year-old Malaysian Nur Durriyah Damian (73).
Onkanok, 15, collapsed as she shot five bogeys and a doublebogey for a 77 and slumped to third spot on 214. An elated Inez said: “This is a special win for me, I wanted it badly after missing out so (narrowly) for the past two years. I think I’m always finishing among the top five or three, but my time finally has come. “It’s a major tournament
and I’ve played with these players but lost to them. But this time I managed to finish victorious.” The win has also boosted her confidence in making the SEA Games squad next year. More significantly, she has taken another step towards her goal of turning professional after completing her studies at the Elyon Christian School in Surabaya next year.
KOREANS, SCOTS PLAY TROON DAY AFTER OPEN Four young golfers enjoyed the opportunity of a lifetime when they teed off at Royal Troon just one day after Henrik Stenson became the Champion Golfer of the Year.
Two Scottish players were joined by golfers from Korea for a friendly match organised by Doosan, a Patron of The Open,
over the famous Ayrshire links; the venue for The 145th Open, where Stenson held off Phil Mickelson in a thrilling duel to win his maiden Major title. Nominated to play by Scottish Golf, Jack Broun and Greg Dalziel represented Scotland in the team better-ball stroke play match over 18 holes.
Minkyu Kim and Sang Ha Park, from the KJ Choi Foundation, which is supported by Doosan, triumphed on the day with a 67 to 69 victory. The KJ Choi Foundation works to promote high level junior golf, as well as provide opportunities for underprivileged children to
play the game in Korea. Doosan showed its support for The Open and The R&A by helping to grow the game across both countries. Broun (Ayr Belleisle) and Dalziel (Airdrie) will now compete in this week’s Scottish Boys’ Open Stroke Play Championship at Lanark GC.
Australia throws down gauntlet Australia will bring one of the World Amateur Team Championships’ hottest squads to Mexico in September.
In announcing the men’s team, Golf Australia’s high-performance manager Matt Cutler said high expectations would follow newly crowned US Amateur Champion Curtis Luck, Cameron Davis and Harrison Endycott. Cutler said the women’s team – Hannah Green, Karis Davidson and Robyn Choi – would also carry high hopes when they head to Mexico’s spectacular Caribbean coast in five weeks. “We are really happy with the teams we’ve chosen – they’ve all got a lot of good results on the board and will be heading away with form and confidence,” Cutler said. “The men’s team, in particular, is pretty hot right now. We have three guys all in the top 16 of the world amateur rankings and that alone tells you they should be in the mix.” Before winning the US Amateur crown, Luck won his home Western Australian Open Championship and also was fifth alongside 2011 Masters champ Charl Schwartzel in the ISPS Handa Global Cup in Japan in June. “These results are actually typical of why our men’s team should be confident,” Cutler said. “Curtis and the New South Wales boys have all done really well playing against seasoned professionals around the world
Rising Aussie: Harrison Endycott
and this event is the closest thing, by standard, to that level of competition.” Davis, ranked 11th, was the hero for New South Wales in its dramatic Interstate Series triumph in May, then set a course record at the Colin Montgomerie-designed Rowallan Castle Golf Club in Scotland in June. Fellow Sydneysider Endycott, ranked 16th, won the recent Porter Cup in New York, capping a staggering seven-month run in which he claimed five key amateur victories. He also won low amateur
honours at US Open sectional qualifying in England and had a joint runner-up finish at the Players Amateur in South Carolina in July. “It’s all pretty solid form from the guys, so we’re hopeful they’ll put up a bold showing – it also allows us to arrive there feeling confident.” The women’s team is the same trio that represented Australia with distinction in April’s Queen Sirikit Cup, finishing second to powerhouse Korea. Australia, defending the title won by now-professional trio
Minjee Lee, Su Oh and Shelly Shin in 2014, and Korea have owned the Espirito Santo Trophy for the past three occasions. “The results from the AsiaPacific region have really stacked up since 2010, and the trio we’ve picked all showed they’re up for the challenge at the Queen Sirikit,” Cutler said. The impressive Green, of Perth, will lead the team in outstanding form having just reached the quarter-finals of the US Women’s Amateur and having been joint runner-up in the Canadian Women’s Amateur. She will be flanked by Davidson, who also made the match play phase of the elite US event and her fellow Queenslander Choi, who has already shown in limited international play that she has the game and will power to contend. “This same team did really well together in the Queen Sirikit and, importantly, bonded really well and played good golf as a combination,” Cutler said. “We are confident they will be able to take that up to the next level.” The women’s championship will be hosted by the Iberostar Playa Paraiso Golf Club from September 14-17. The men’s championship will be played from September 21-24 at the El Cameleon course at Mayakoba, host venue of the US PGA Tour’s annual OHL Classic. – Golf Australia
SEPTEMBER 2016 ❘ APGC Newsletter ❘ 5
KHO WINS HK JUNIOR OPEN Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho clinched his national Junior Open on the third extra hole of a suddendeath playoff, capping a dramatic final day at the Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling.
As the leading local player, Kho will also experience the World Golf Championship-HSBC Champions in Shanghai later this year, courtesy of the Hong Kong Golf Association’s Exclusive Banking Partner, HSBC. Earlier, the 15-year-old had held his nerve on the 54th and final hole of regulation play, sinking a four-foot par putt to shoot a brilliant two-under 68 and finish tied with Ryota Nakao of Japan on 212. Kho’s compatriot Lou Tan was also in the mix, having stormed up the leaderboard with a finalround 67 on the New Course, but ultimately he fell one short on 213. The pair of Kho and Nakao could not be separated over the first two playoff holes but the Hong Kong national team player needed only a tap-in putt for par on the third extra hole to win
Grinners: Winners of the 2016 Hong Kong Junior Open at the Hong Kong Golf Club in Fanling, including (front right) Taichi Kho and (front left) Queenie Lai with their VIP invitations to October’s World Golf Championship-HSBC Champions. Photo: HK Golfer
his first Hong Kong Junior Open title. In doing so, he topped a record field that featured 105 junior golfers, 40 of whom were from overseas. The 46th edition of the championship also featured on the World Amateur Golf Rankings for the first time. “This week has been amazing – not just winning but meeting
so many players from different countries and making new friends,” said Kho. “I was proud of the way I parred the last two holes and then kept my focus in the playoff.” “I can’t wait to go to the HSBC Champions,” added Kho. “I heard from [last year’s champion] Leon (D’Souza), that
it was an awesome experience so I’m going to make the most of every minute!” Thailand’s Kan Bunnabodee, 14, was crowned girls’ champion, finishing with a oneover 73 for a three-round total of 220. Virginie Ding was Hong Kong’s leading girl, finishing in a three-way tie for second on 225.
SUSTAINABILITY SEMINAR IN BEIJING More than 100 golf course operators, academics and major stakeholders from the golf industry have attended the first day of The R&A Sustainable Golf Seminar at the China National Convention Centre in Beijing.
The forum opened with Wang Liwei, Vice President of CGA and Liang Wen-Chong, the Captain of the Chinese Olympic Golf Team and R&A Working for Golf Ambassador, noting that 2016 was a very important year for golf as it returned to the Olympics after a break of more than 100 years. “This seminar marks an important milestone in the history of golf in China in that it will provide some practical information to golf clubs about 6 ❘ APGC Newsletter ❘ SEPTEMBER 2016
sustainable golf course practices and management,” said Dominic Wall, Director – Asia-Pacific at The R&A. “This is particularly important to China given recent issues to do with water supply and environmental practices.” Liang said: “As a player I am always grateful to play on a course that’s well maintained and in tuned with the environment.” “As players, we can play fifty
years, if we are lucky, but a golf course maintained sustainably can outlive us all. “It’s only fair that we play a small part in promoting sustainable golf and leave the best to future generations,” Liang said. Over the course of the seminar Steve Isaac, Director of Golf Course Management at The R&A and Jonathan Smith, founder and CEO of the Golf Environment Organisation gave presentations on what sustainability means and why it matters. Professor Hu Lin, Director of the Green Environment Centre of the China Agricultural University gave an interesting presentation on challenges regarding water use and environmental regulations.
In the afternoon sessions, Paul Jansen and Micah Woods joined the discussion on best practice on project planning and dispelling some myths on length and par. Award-winning designer Lu Jun kept the audience engaged with his list of issues in the design and construction of golf courses in China. “We, and others, need to use our influence to persuade those within the sport to follow a more sustainable path, and those outside the sport that can control its development,” concluded Steve Isaac. Additional delegates from golf clubs around the country will join tomorrow’s session on renovation and best practice in course construction.
HK GOLF CEO STEPS DOWN The Hong Kong Golf Association (HKGA) has announced that Chief Executive Officer Tom Phillips will step down from his position at the end of the year.
During the remaining months of his tenure, Phillips will work with the HKGA’s Executive Committee to appoint a replacement. HKGA President Mark Chan commented: “Tom has done an outstanding job for the HKGA and helped us to achieve so much during his three years in charge. Not only has he turned around the finances of the HKGA to a position of stability, he has also changed the face of the HKGA in terms of our brand, our communications and our international reputation. “Furthermore, under Tom’s
leadership, the HKGA has been boosted with our new HSBC Golf For Schools initiative; a new commercial program supported by partners including HSBC and Mercedes-Benz; a new GHIN handicapping system and benefits program which has topped 10,000 subscribers for the first time; new international events in Hong Kong, including the 2015 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship; and an improved elite training program in conjunction with the Hong Kong Sports Institute that has played a part in the success of our first ever golfing Olympian, Tiffany Chan.” Phillips said: “I have been hugely honoured to lead the HKGA but I feel the time is right to go out on a high and pursue new projects.
“I am incredibly proud of the results that we as a team have achieved at the HKGA over the past three years. I believe the organisation is now in a much stronger position to move forward and continue growing golf in Hong Kong.” Meanwhile, The Hong Kong Golf Association (HKGA) has announced the appointment of Jonathan Wallett as its Director of Golf Development. Wallett will work in the newly created role alongside the existing coaching team to oversee the HKGA’s golf development programs and pathways, from grass-roots to elite. Wallett began his coaching career more than 25 years ago and has enjoyed success working
with Tour winners including David Howell and Oliver Wilson, and several more players whom he has nurtured from junior golf to full cards on the men’s and ladies European Tours. The Englishman recently worked for three seasons on the European Tour and before that was Academy Director at the Evian Royal Resort for six years, host of the Evian Championship, a ladies’ major. Wallett has forged a reputation as an expert in elite coaching programs and pathways, having delivered speeches at coaching conferences throughout Europe and Asia. The 46-year-old has also written more than 50 magazine articles on the topic and published six books.
MURDACA’S TENTATIVE U.S. PRO START Former Asia-Pacific Amateur champion and rookie Professional Antonio Murdaca earned his first start on the Web.com Tour thanks to a superb effort in the Monday pre-qualifying.
Murdaca shot a four-under 68 at the Stonewall Orchard Golf Club in Illinois to
finish T2 with two other players and grab one of the six spots available. The winner of the prestigious Asia Pacific Amateur Championship at Royal Melbourne in 2014 has based himself in America this year and played mini tour events and tried to Monday qualify for tournaments.
This week marks his first success and the South Australian will be keen to make the most of the opportunity as he has no status on any Tour outside Australia. Unfortunately Murdaca missed the cut in the tournament after shooting opening rounds of 72 and 74. SEPTEMBER 2016 ❘ APGC Newsletter ❘ 5
SEONG CLaims U.S. WOMEN’S AMATEUR
LOCAL STAR WINS MALAYSIAN AMATEUR Hometown favourite Nur Durriyah Damian has won a hat-trick of tournaments after triumphing in the Malaysian Ladies Amateur Open (MLAO) at the Awana Genting Golf Club.
South Korea’s Eun Jeong Seong has taken out the US Women’s Amateur Championship at Rolling Green, outside Philadelphia, to become the first player to win the event and US Girls’ Junior in the same year.
The 16-year-old Seong outlasted Italy’s Virginia Elena Carta 1-up in hot conditions in the 36-hole final, the first all-international championship match in 106 years. “I can’t believe today,” Seong said. “But today is different feeling because I made history. That’s why I feel so amazing.” The 19-year-old Carta, coming off her freshman season at Duke University, overcame a dizzy 6 ❘ APGC Newsletter ❘ SEPTEMBER 2016
spell that forced a 15-minute delay after the 31st hole. “I mean, I was not feeling good at all,” Carta said. “I was like shaking, and that was not a good feeling.” She was trying to become the second player to win the tournament and NCAA individual title in the same year. Seong won her second straight US Girls’ Junior title at Ridgewood in New Jersey. The finalists earned spots in the US Women’s Open next year at Trump National in New Jersey, and the winner also traditionally receives exemptions into the ANA Inspiration, Women’s British Open and Evian Championship, if they are still amateurs.
Seong took the lead with a birdie on the par five 25th hole and after a see-saw round, holed a 12m putt for birdie on the 36th to close out the match. “My hands were shaking,” Seong said. “I’m one up, and if I lose this hole, I can go to playoff. I just think, ‘Please two-putt, please two-putt.’ But I made it. I’m surprised.” Seong also became the third female player to win multiple USGA championships in the same year. Pearl Sinn won the Women’s Amateur and Women’s Amateur Public Links in 1988, and Jennifer Song swept the same events in 2009. Seong is 25-4 in USGA match-play championships.
She had earlier won the Sukma gold medal in Kuching and the Kelantan Amateur Open. Heading into the final round she had a whopping seven-stroke lead, but Durriyah struggled to close with a four-over 75. But her three-day total of 212 was still good enough for her to finish four strokes ahead of Indonesia’s Inez Beatrice Wanamarta, who carded her third straight 72. Malaysia’s Loy Hee Ying and Thailand’s Onkanok Soisuwan closed with identical 75s to share third spot with a 220 total. Durriyah finished third in the MLAO the past two years. Her victory made her the first Malaysian winner since Kelly Tan did it in 2013. Nevertheless she was not altogether pleased with her form. “I’m not quite happy with how it ended today, I hit it bad and landed my shots everywhere, resulting in a poor score,” Durriyah told the Star Online after a round of two birdies and four bogeys. “Maybe I’m a bit tired. But all the hard work has paid off … I’ve won my last three tournaments.” With four titles in the bag now – including the Taiwan Amateur Championship crown in June – Durriyah is ready to set her sights on two bigger goals next month. She was targeting the SouthEast Asian Team Championships, known as the Santi Cup, to be held in Singapore from September 5-9, and the LPGA Malaysian qualifying tournament. “These three victories could not have been more timely,” she said.