INVITATIONS to compete in the 16th Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship were sent last month and 116 players to date have been confirmed for the Championship, which will be held Oct 23-26, at Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis Course in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. A full list of confirmed players can be found here.
Anson Yeo, the leading Malaysian golfer on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), will spearhead the country’s seven-man challenge in Dubai alongside Zia Iqmal Abdul Rashid, Hariz Hezri, Maverick Chua, Farez Azihan, Joshua Lim and Zubair Firdaus.
The champion will receive an invitation to the 2026 Masters Tournament and an exemption into The 154th Open; the runner(s)-up will receive an exemption into The Open Qualifying Series; the top-three finishers will receive an exemption into The 131st Amateur Championship.
This will be Yeo’s fourth successive appearance in the prestigious tournament (T47/2024, 67th/2023, 29th/2022), as with Zubair (MC/2024, T41/2023, T32/2022). Zia Iqmal will be making third start (MC/2024, MC/2023) while Hariz will enjoy his second appearance (MC/2022). Chua, Lim and Farez will savour their debuts as the seven golfers aim to deliver a first victory for Malaysia in the Asia-Pacific Amateur.
“I’m excited to play in my fourth Asia-Pacific Amateur,” said the 19-year-old Yeo, who is presently ranked No. 240 on the WAGR.
“Playing in the Masters and The Open is every golfer’s dream and knowing the winner will get the opportunity is an incredible motivation. It will push me to work harder and do well in Dubai.”
Winner of 10 titles including four victories this year, Yeo hopes to use his past experiences in the region’s premier men’s amateur competition to improve on his career best 29th place finish.
“Everyone sees it as the biggest stage for amateurs in Asia-Pacific. It not only gives us the chance to compete at the highest level, but this will also motivate upcoming juniors,” said Yeo.
“Each year, I’ve been able to pick up new lessons, which has helped me grow as a golfer and build confidence,” added the Malaysian, whose accolades include being a member of the International Team for the 2022 Junior Presidents Cup.
Chua, who has five amateur wins under his belt, is eager to tee up for the first time against the regions’ top golfers.
“I’m really excited for my first Asia-Pacific Amateur. It’s a great opportunity to test myself against the top players,” he said.
“Knowing that the winner gets to play in two of the biggest major championships in golf will push me to give my best. Just having the chance to play in this event already feels very special.”
Players from 42 APGC member organizations have accepted invitations with 116 players confirmed thus far for the 120-player field.
The field is highlighted by Harry Takis of Australia, 2024 runner-up Ziqin Zhou of China, Kent Hsiao of Chinese Taipei, Jeffrey Shen of Hong Kong, China, Rayhan Latief of Indonesia, Taisei Nagasaki, Taishi Moto and Rintaro Nakano of Japan, and Fifa Laopakdee, Ratchanon “TK” Chantananuwat and Chanachon Chokprajakchat of Thailand.
Representatives from four countries have claimed titles at the Asia-Pacific Amateur, including China with five victories, Australia and Japan with four each and the Republic of Korea with two.
Notable past competitors include 2021 Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama, a two-time winner of the Asia-Pacific Amateur, and 2022 Open champion Cameron Smith.
Over the Championship’s 15-year history, the Championship has served as a springboard to some of the world’s top players, including Matsuyama, 2018 champion Takumi Kanaya and 2021 champion Keita Nakajima of Japan, Smith, Cameron Davis and Min Woo Lee of Australia, New Zealand’s Ryan Fox, the Republic of Korea’s Si Woo Kim and Chinese Taipei’s C.T. Pan.
As the host nation, the United Arab Emirates are projected to have five representatives in the field led by 17-year-old Abdulla Kalbat and five-time participant Ahmad Skaik.
The Majlis Course annually serves as the host of the DP World Tour’s Dubai Desert Classic, an event won by the likes of Seve Ballesteros, Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Ernie Els, the latter of which owns the course record of 61.
Australia’s Lucas Herbert won the Dubai Desert Classic in 2020 to become the first alum to win the event five years after his final appearance at the Asia-Pacific Amateur. Emirates Golf Club will host the Asia-Pacific Amateur for the first time.
