Kanaya wins Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship
Singapore, October 7
Takumi Kanaya of Japan won the 10th Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship here at the New Tanjong Course of Sentosa Golf Club today.
Kanaya carded five-under 65 in the final round for the 72-hole total of 13-under 267. The 20-year-old Japanese golfer registered a two-stroke victory over compatriot Keita Nakajima and India's Rayhan Thomas. Nakajima carded three-under 67, while Thomas shot four-under 66 to share the second position at 269.
With the victory, Kanaya earned an invitation to the 2019 Masters Tournament and a place in The 148th Open at Royal Portrush, while runners-up Thomas and Nakajima will get the opportunity to play in The Open Qualifying Series.
Kanaya, who was six strokes off the lead after third round, carded three-under 32 on the front nine and shot two-under 33 on the back nine. He shot a total of seven birdies including three straight from the 14th hole and faced one each bogey on either half.
“This is simply like a dream. I have been dreaming of going to the Masters ever since I was a kid,” said Kanaya. “I never expected to play the Masters and The Open so early in my career. I played well throughout the day but I think the key for me was how I kept my calm and composure during the round,” he told reporters. Indian golfer Thomas rued the first-round performance of four-over 74 but the joint second-place finish was the best-ever by an Indian golfer in Asia-Pacific tournament. Khalin Joshi had finished tied ninth in the 2010 edition in Japan.
Thomas took the turn at three-under 32 with the help of birdies on the second, fifth and seventh. He added two more on the 12th and 16th but faced a bogey on the 15th to finish the back nine at one-under 34.
“One thing I definitely learned from this week is that you can't win a championship of this level after starting with a four-over round,” said Thomas, who made only one bogey in his last 45 holes. “Irrespective of my score, I loved every moment of this great championship and I am glad that I have the chance to come back again next year knowing that I have the ability to win it.”
Lloyd Jefferson Go of Indonesia was fourth at 10-under after he managed one-under 69 in the final round, while KK Limbhasut (69) of Thailand was next at 271. Overnight leader Yuxin Lin shared the ninth position with three others after he faltered to five-over 75 in the final round.
Two Nepali golfers participated in the tournament and both of them missed the cut after the second round. Sukra Bahadur Rai fell below the cut line by just one stroke after he posted seven-over 147 after 36 holes, while Tanka Bahadur Karki played 17-over in two rounds. A total of 120 golfers from 40 countries took part in the 10th edition of the region's premier amateur golf tournament organised by the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation, the Masters Tournament and The R&A. The 11th edition of the championship will be played at Sheshan Golf Club in Shanghai next year.
