[PHOTO: Brett Costello]
A field of 312 of the world’s best amateurs is set to contest the time-honoured adidas Australian Amateur in the Melbourne Sandbelt from tomorrow.
The men’s field of 205 players includes the newly crowned Asia-Pacific champion, Jasper Stubbs, who heads overseas in 2024 to compete at two majors – the Masters and the Open Championship – as a result of his win at Royal Melbourne in October.
At least two other Australians who competed strongly in the same week – Billy Dowling and Quinnton Croker – are also teeing it up from January 16-19 at Yarra Yarra and Keysborough.
So is Phoenix Campbell, the Yarra Yarra product who has already won a professional tournament – the Queensland PGA Championship – this season, but who has decided to keep his amateur status so he can travel overseas in 2024. Campbell also captured last week’s Australian Master of the Amateurs tournament.
The top-ranked New Zealander, Jayden Ford, is in the men’s field in a fully international list that includes players from Japan, India, the Philippines, South Korea, England, China, Taipei and France.
The 2023 British Boys’ Amateur champion, England’s Kris Kim, is another trying to win a first Australian Amateur.
The women’s field of 106 is chock-full of the top Australians as well as some international players who will provide a significant challenge for the likes of dual national amateur runner-up Justice Bosio [pictured] and South Australian Caitlin Peirce.
The defending champion from Japan, Mizuki Hashimoto, is back to defend her title and Japan’s team includes the likes of the No.41 world-ranked Mamika Shinchi. Filipino Rianne Mikhaela Milaxi, runner-up in this year’s US Junior and last week’s Australian Master of the Amateurs winner, is another top-ranked player who will be one to watch in Melbourne.
Australia will have some of the best young players in the women’s field with 16-year-old Queenslander Sarah Hammett and Victoria’s Jazy Roberts showing outstanding form at the recent Sandbelt Invitational tournament.
The adidas Australian Amateur is 72 holes strokeplay for men and women, with both Yarra Yarra and Keysborough golf clubs hosting the first two days before the cut is made and the players complete the final two rounds at Yarra Yarra.
The Australian Amateur Championship was first played in 1894.
