Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship 2014: Leaderboard Analysis, Highlights, More
For golf fans unfamiliar with the 2014 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, it was an annual tournament that awards the winner a guaranteed spot in the 2015 Masters tournament at Augusta.
Australian star Antonio Murdaca held a huge lead heading into the final day of action, and his consistent play helped him take home the tournament title. He became the first Australian to win the Asia-Pacific Championship.
One of the reasons the 2013 Masters tournament was so memorable was the appearance of 14-year-old Chinese amateur Guan Tianlang. Guan became the youngest player to participate in the Masters after winning the 2012 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship. He was back in the field this year but faced a deep group of rising stars.
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Here is how all four days of the 2014 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship shook out.
| 1 | Antonio Murdaca | Australia | -13 |
| 2 | Horikawa Mikumu | Japan | -6 |
| 3 | Todd Sinnott | Australia | -5 |
| 4 | Ryan Ruffels | Australia | -3 |
| T-5 | Dou Zecheng | China | -2 |
| T-5 | Guan Tianlang | China | -2 |
| T-5 | Pan Cheng-tsung | Chinese Taipei | -2 |
| T8 | Lucas Herbert | Australia | -1 |
| T8 | Jerome Ng | Singapore | -1 |
| T8 | Koura Kazuya | Japan | -1 |
| T8 | Geoffrey Drakeford | Australia | -1 |
Day 4
While many golf fans were focused on Chinese star Guan Tianlang coming into this tournament, it was the Australian player Antonio Murdaca who dominated the field and finished the championship 13 under.
After his victory, Murdaca has earned an automatic bid into the 2015 Masters tournament.
Murdaca finished seven shots ahead of second-place finisher Horikawa Mikumu of Japan.
Consistency was the name of the game for Murdaca, who shot a 69 on Thursday, a 68 on Friday, a 67 on Saturday and a 71 on Sunday. While his Day 4 performance was not his best, the 19-year-old player was defending his lead and playing as safely as possible.
Murdaca told The Associated Press, via ESPN, about what he thought of his triumph and how he felt when he knew victory was his:
"It's a dream come true. I can't wait. I was standing on that second shot today sort of thinking, ‘Wow, imagine if I get to the Masters. Imagine how many people there are going to be.’
I think after I hit that second shot into 18, I got some goose bumps. It is pretty special considering the reward you get at the end. I've been working hard all year, hunting for a win and I finally got one and I think I found the right event to win.
"
The competition may not have been at Murdaca’s level this week, but the field behind him was fierce. Mikumu was able to finish second, but it wasn’t before he and Day 1 leader Todd Sinnott battled hard for the spot. Mikumu finished at six-under, and Sinnott finished at five-under.
Fellow Australian Ryan Ruffels also managed to finish fourth. For the Australians, the nation was represented by six of the top 12 finishers in the event.
Dou Zecheng and Guan of China and Pan Cheng-tsung of Chinese Taipei finished tied for fifth with a score of two-under par.
Day 3
Antonio Murdaca of Australia turned what looked like a hotly contested battle into a virtual runaway during Round 3 of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship. A 5-under round of 67 moved him to 12-under par for the tournament. That's good enough for an eight-shot edge heading into Sunday.
Royal Melbourne Golf Club has proven itself as a serious challenge for everybody but Murdaca. A score of 3-under par through three rounds is good enough for a spot inside the top five. Everybody else will need the talented Aussie to falter on the final day to have a chance.
A lead of that size is nearly insurmountable. Yet, when you're talking about a 19-year-old rising star with a chance of playing in the Masters at stake, things become far less certain.
The tournament's official site passed along comments from Murdaca, who said thoughts of playing at Augusta are already on his mind.
"Yes, I'm quite excited," he said. "I'm just going to come out tomorrow, same mindset as today, and hope I can have another great round."
Royal Melbourne has a way of making things interesting, though. Steve Keipert of Golf Australia provided an interesting note about the last time a player held such a big lead heading into the final round of play at the course:
"The last player to hold an eight-stroke 54-hole lead at Royal Melbourne was Ernie Els at the Heineken Classic a decade ago when he opened with a course-record 60. That Sunday, however, the South African squandered his entire eight-shot advantage in just nine holes before holding on to win by one from Adam Scott. Sometimes sleeping on big leads can make the pillow feel like soft down; other times like cold lead.
"
So there's clearly some work left to do for Murdaca, especially with nerves likely to become a factor.
Pan Cheng-Tsung, Jin Cheng and Todd Sinnott are all eight back. Horikawa Mikumu, Geoffrey Drakeford and Joshua Munn trail by nine. So if it wasn't for the leader's terrific play, it would be a very tight tournament.
Even with such a large group of players closely bunched together in the chase pack, it's hard to imagine anybody putting together a 9-under round at Royal Melbourne to pass a stagnant Murdaca. He would have to slide back to bring the others back into play.
It's not likely, but anything is possible given the high stakes on Sunday.
Day 2
Royal Melbourne Golf Club continued to provide a serious test for the top amateurs in the Asia-Pacific region in Round 2. Any score under par through two days is good enough for a spot in the top 10 heading into what should be a highly competitive weekend.
Antonio Murdaca of Australia surged past countryman Todd Sinnott to take over the lead at 7-under par. He's the only player with two rounds in the 60s to open the tournament.
The Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship's official site passed along comments from the leader, who said his short game has been the difference in the early going.
"My short game's always helped me out a fair bit," Murdaca said. "We're quite lucky out here, the surrounds of the greens are great. You're never going to get enough bounce, as long as you hit the shot you want. You pretty much hit it where you want to."
Sinnott, who led after the opening round, wasn't able to match that effort on Friday but still stayed within striking distance.
The highlight of his day came at the par-4 first, as noted by AAC Golf:
As for Guan, the biggest name in the field took a step back in the second round. He posted a 1-over round of 73 to fall into a tie for fifth. It still only leaves him four strokes off the pace, well within range if he can get back on track tomorrow.
Looking ahead, based on the closely grouped leaderboard and the difficulty level of the course, it should be a drama-filled weekend in Melbourne. Murdaca and Sinnott obviously hold a slight edge, but there are more than a dozen players with a realistic shot if they can find top form.
Of course there will be a lot of eyes on Guan. The teenager made headlines for his Masters performance last year and could make a return trip with a strong showing over the next two days. His potential is sky high, but he's still working on his consistency, as Round 2 showed.
Day 1
Golf fans love to watch the latest amateur tournaments to scout the next crop of possible top stars. The beautiful backdrop of the Composite Course at Royal Melbourne in Australia makes this tournament a unique event, but it is the competition on the leaderboard everyone is talking about.
Sinnott is a local star who has played the course several times in the past. His experience at Royal Melbourne was evident with his elite performance on Thursday. Many Australians also took advantage of the home field, filling five of the top 11 spots on the leaderboard after the first round.
When asked about his early lead, Sinnott told the Associated Press, via ESPN, “There's a long way to go yet. This is a course where you need to contain yourself. It's all about positioning the ball. You can make double bogey here as quickly as you can make a birdie by attacking.”
After an outstanding first round, Sinnott deserves immense credit for the composure he showed to take advantage of the favorable conditions. As well as Sinnott played, though, many golf fans have their eyes on Guan.
Guan will turn 16 years old on Saturday.
The Chinese amateur won this tournament in 2012, but could not repeat in 2013. With an outstanding performance on Day 1 and the composure and experience needed to be a threat throughout the weekend, Guan is a serious contender to take home another championship.
Guan was reminded of his dominance in 2012, and he spoke to GolfChannel.com about how the win changed his life, saying, “I think it (the win in 2012) changed my life a little bit, but I think I’m still doing my own thing, still on the right track. I felt a lot better from the last couple of months going into this tournament, so I think I will give a pretty good performance this week.”
While Sinnott and Guan battle for the lead, the rest of the field is staying within striking distance. Lee Chieh-po of Taiwan, Antonio Murdaca of Australia and Tawan Phongphun of Thailand are all tied for third, just two shots off the lead.
There are many amateur golfers playing well at Royal Melbourne, and the result will be several days of elite action. The battle for first place will be fierce, but if Guan can find a rhythm on Day 2, he will be hard to beat during the weekend.
As the youngest player in PGA Tour history to ever make a cut, Guan understands the pressure and magnitude of the 2014 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship. It’s just a matter of time before he takes the lead.
After Day 1, it’s clear that this year’s tournament will be a true golf battle.
*Stats and information via AACGolf.com.
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