MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australian Jasper Stubbs won at the second playoff hole to claim the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship on Sunday and an invitation to the 2024 Masters and a spot in next year’s British Open at Royal Troon.
Stubbs came from six shots back to finished tied with Chinese pair Sampson Zheng and Ding Wenyi at 1-over 285 at Royal Melbourne and force a playoff.
The 22-year-old Stubbs and Ding both made birdie at the tricky par-4 18th, but Zheng could only make par and was eliminated.
Stubbs and 18-year-old Ding headed back to play the 18th again and while the Australian found the back of the green, Ding hit his approach into a greenside bunker.
Stubbs then put his 13-metre birdie putt to within a whisker of the hole, and when Ding’s par putt lipped out, the Australian tapped in for the win and entry to the 2024 Masters and British Open.
“The Masters is something every kid’s ever dreamed of,” Stubbs said. “It’s the one tournament that every golfer wants to play in their life and now that that’s going to be the reality for me, I’m speechless, it’s life-changing.
“I’m really excited for April now and also for the Open.”
Stubbs shot 69 in regulation with four birdies, three of which came in the last nine holes, and two bogeys on the Royal Melbourne composite course that was last used for international competition at the 2019 Presidents Cup.
Zheng — who shot a 65 on Saturday to set an amateur course record and take a four-stroke lead into the final round — had a final round 75, with two birdies, four bogeys and a double bogey at the par-4 2nd to see his lead evaporate.
Second-round co-leader Ding had a fourth-round 70, with two birdies and a bogey, to stay in contention through the day.
Australian Max Charles (70) and Lin Chuan-Tai (69) from Taiwan finished in a tie for fourth place at 2-over 286.
Along with the invitation to the Masters and British Open in 2024, Stubbs will also be exempt from qualifying for the British Amateur.
