CHONBURI (Thailand): Malaysian teen talent Hariz Hezri will be hoping for some birthday cheer when he tees off in the 13th edition of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC), which starts tomorrow at Amata Spring Country Club.
Hariz turned 17 today and is keen to make it a week to remember with a solid showing in his debut AAC appearance. His target is to make the halfway cut, which would be a great achievement for the youngster considering the high quality of the field.
“I’m really excited about playing in my first AAC and my target is to make it to the weekend,” he said.
“Just participating in this prestigious tournament is the best possible birthday gift! I want to enjoy the experience of competing against the top amateurs from the region on one of the best courses in Asia,” added Hariz, who hails from Sungai Petani in Kedah.
The AAC was created in 2009 as a joint initiative to develop the game by the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC), the Masters Tournament and The R&A. The champion receives an invitation to play in the Masters Tournament and The Open, while the runner(s)-up gain a place in The Open Qualifying Series for The Open.
Hariz lauded the impeccable organisation of the event and the superb condition of the award-winning Amata Spring golf course.
“This is the best organised event that I‘ve played in so far and I’m just so lucky to be here. The condition of the golf course is fantastic, the greens are really good and the fairways are superb,” he said.
“The course is a little bit on the long side and the winds are strong here. You definitely have to drive the ball well and hit good approach shots. The greens are not too fast but can be tricky.”
Hariz’s notable results this year include a runner-up finish in the Menpora Pagi Junior Amateur Open in Indonesia and a win on the Kedah Junior Golf Circuit.
“I’m playing much better now compared to last year. My main strength is my putting, so hopefully I manage to sink a lot of putts this week,” said Hariz, who plans to apply for a place in Universiti Utara Malaysia after he finishes his SPM examination (Malaysian ‘O Levels’) early next year.
Ranked 1019th on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), Hariz will be joined at Amata Spring by compatriots Anson Yeo (WAGR No. 178), Khavish Varadan (WAGR No. 183), Marcus Lim (WAGR No. 395), Nateeshvar Ganesh (WAGR No. 480), Isaac To (WAGR No. 1008) and Zubair Firdaus (WAGR No. 1103).
The Malaysians will be up against some of the world’s top amateurs at Amata Spring, including 15-year-old local prodigy Ratchanon ‘TK’ Chantananuwat who is the highest-ranked player in the field at No. 12 on the WAGR.
Other standouts include China’s two-time AAC winner Yuxin Lin (2017 in New Zealand and 2019 in China), his compatriot Wenyi Ding who is the reigning US Junior Amateur champion, and Australian No. 1 Connor McKinney.
Malaysia’s best result in the AAC is seventh, achieved by Mohd Iszaimi Ismail during the inaugural event in 2009 at Mission Hills Golf Club in China and matched by Ervin Chang in 2018 at Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore.
While no Malaysian has played in the Masters Tournament, two have competed in The Open – Danny Chia (2005, 2008, 2010) and Gavin Green (2018).