[Photo: Asia-Pacific Amateur]
Seven Australians have begun their preparations for a shot at Masters and Open Championship starts, undertaking practice rounds for the Asia-Pacific Amateur being held this week at Dubai’s famed Emirates Golf Club.
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Sydney’s Declan O’Donovan headlines the Australian contingent, which also features Queenslanders Harry Takis and Billy Dowling, as well as Mollymook golfer Jye Halls (NSW), Chase Oberle (Qld) and Kayun Mudadana (NSW) and Queensland Senior Amateur champion, Graham Hourn.
The Emirates Golf Club is the annual host of the DP World Tour’s Dubai Desert Classic each January.
The Asia-Pacific Amateur was jointly created in 2009 by Augusta National and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews (R&A), as an initiative to grow golf around the world. The Asia-Pacific winner is offered a spot in the following year’s Masters and Open Championship.
Four Australians have won the Asia-Pacific Amateur, including two of the past three in Harrison Crowe (2022) and Jasper Stubbs (2023).
After O’Donovan, Takis is one to watch for the Australian contingent. He plays US college golf at Xander Schauffele’s former university, San Diego State, and is Australia’s No.1 amateur at 90th on the World Amateur Golf Ranking. Takis finished T-41 at the 2023 Asia-Pacific Amateur at Royal Melbourne.
“You kind of wish it was you, to be honest. I mean, you see everything that comes from it,” Takis said, who won the Singapore Open Amateur Championship by 11 strokes in July. “I definitely wasn’t in the position where I was ready to really contend or win that golf tournament, if I’m going to be honest with you. I was kind of just there soaking it all up. It was a pretty cool golf course, pretty cool experience. This time around, I think I’m very much in the mix to give that a run and would love to reap the rewards if you do so.”
AUSSIES AT THE ASIA-PACIFIC AMATEUR
Harry Takis
Age: 20
World Amateur Golf Ranking: 90
Home club: Royal Queensland Golf Club
Previous AAC results: T41 (2023)
Best 2025 result: Won Singapore Open Amateur Championship
Kayun Mudadana
Age: 19
World Amateur Golf Ranking: 221
Home club: New South Wales Golf Club, NSW
Previous AAC results: First appearance
Best 2025 result: Won South Australia Amateur Classic
Declan O’Donovan
Age: 22
World Amateur Golf Ranking: 229
Home club: Avondale Golf Club, NSW
Previous AAC results: First appearance
Best 2025 result: Won Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship
Billy Dowling
Age: 20
World Amateur Golf Ranking: 241
Home club: The Brisbane Golf Club, Qld
Previous AAC results: 10th (2023), T37 (2024)
Best 2025 result: 2nd, Scottish Men’s Open Championship
Chase Oberle
Age: 17
World Amateur Golf Ranking: 467
Home club: The Brisbane Golf Club, Qld
Previous AAC results: First appearance
Best 2025 result: Won Queensland Junior Amateur
Graham Hourn
Age: 57
World Amateur Golf Ranking: 542
Home club: Kingaroy Golf Club, Qld
Previous AAC results: First appearance
Best 2025 result: Won Queensland Senior Men’s Amateur Championship
Jye Halls
Age: 20
World Amateur Golf Ranking: 562
Home club: New South Wales Golf Club, NSW
Previous AAC results: First appearance
Best 2025 result: Won Australian Men’s Amateur Championship
