Malaysia’s Anson Yeo brilliantly produced a nine-shot improvement with a solid 4-under 68 to safely make his fourth successive cut at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship on Friday.
After struggling with an opening 77 in the region’s premier amateur Championship, the 19-year-old Yeo took advantage of ideal conditions to hit five birdies against a lone bogey at Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis course to lead compatriots Zubair Firdaus (74), Hariz Hezri (70) and Farez Azihan (73) safely into the weekend rounds.
Debutant Joshua Lim, who opened with a 72 on Thursday, stands at 1-under through nine holes of his second round while Zia Iqmal Abdul Rashid was 4-over through 11 holes, one stroke above the projected cut line with the second round still being played at press time.
Japan’s Taiseh Nagasaki fired a second successive 67 to seize the clubhouse lead on 10-under 134 , in a Championship which rewards the winner with coveted invitations into the Masters Tournament and The Open next year.
Yeo will enter the third round at 1-under, and he will be fired up to maintain his momentum in the magnificent Majlis course, which hosts the annual Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour where past champions include Tiger Woods, Ernie Els and Rory McIlroy.
Starting from the 10th tee, Yeo was delighted with his bounce back, which also marked his lowest score in the Championship in what was his 14thround.
“Yesterday afternoon was very windy and I also played badly,” said Yeo.
“This morning had less wind and I didn’t change my game plan, I was more confident and happy to shoot 4-under. Everything worked out quite well. I could have gone low on the back nine but I missed some chances, couldn’t make the putts and just kept lipping some holes,” said Yeo, who is the highest-ranked Malaysian amateur in the field.
He hopes to inch his way up the leaderboard to improve on his career-best finish of T29 in his debut in 2022. “The goal will be to get to red figures. I’ll stick to the game plan, and play with more confidence especially with my putter and trusting the lines,” said Anson.
Hariz, 19, produced the next best score amongst the Malaysian hopefuls as he traded five birdies against three dropped shots for his 70. “I had more balance with my swing and had good momentum,” said Hariz, who missed the cut in his previous appearance in 2022.
“I focused one shot at a time, and I was able to keep up with my golf swing and hit it pretty good. My iron play was better than yesterday as I focused on my rhythm. It’s so good to be here, the course is so pure. It’s maybe one of the best golf courses I’ve played in my life.”
Joshua Lim emerged as the leading Malaysian after the first round of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship following a battling 72 at the Emirates Golf Club on Thursday.
The 16-year-old Lim made a strong start to his debut appearance in the region’s premier amateur Championship, shooting three birdies in his opening five holes before dropping three shots coming home at the iconic Majlis course, which is the annual host to a DP World Tour event.
Zubair Firdaus returned a 73 to be the next best Malaysian as Thailand’s Fifa Laopakdee, Le Khanh Hun of Vietnam and Australian Billy Dowling took the opening day’s honours by shooting matching 66s to set the early pace where this week’s champion will earn invitations to the Masters Tournament and The Open.
It was a bittersweet first appearance in the Championship for Lim as he struggled to cope with the hot and humid conditions in Dubai.
“It was a wonderful experience, I started off really hot, birdie, birdie but towards the end, my focus gave out. This course is a challenging, especially with the winds which played a big factor and I wasn’t used to it. It was also quite hot out there. Hopefully I can improve over the next few rounds. I’m happy I could play a decent round,” said the Sarawakian teenager.
“I’m so happy to have a chance to represent my country and play in this wonderful event. I enjoyed the views, the experience to play on a course that you watch on TV is quite exciting. I’ll need to maintain my tee shots on the fairway and play more conservatively.”
The 23-year-old Zubair, who arrived in Dubai in good form following a victory at the Bahrain Amateur Open earlier this month, endured a mixed bag with three birdies against four bogeys. Zia Iqmal Abdul Rashid started with a 75 while four other Malaysians, Anson Yeo, Maverick Chua, Farez Azihan and Hariz Hezri – were still playing their first rounds at press time.
“It was tough in the afternoon with the winds and I didn’t play my best,” said Zubair, who is making his fourth successive appearance in the Championship. “I caught some fliers from out of the rough and need to drive better to stay on the fairways.”
Le Khanh Hun became the first Vietnamese to hold at least a share of the lead in any round in Championship history after hitting an eagle and four birdies for his stellar 66 as he chases for more glory for his emerging nation in the sport.
Khanh Hung created history for Vietnam by becoming the first male golfer from the country to win the individual gold medal at the Southeast Asian Games in 2023. Last year, he was part of the national team which won the 2024 Nomura Cup on home soil, marking an historic maiden victory in the Asia-Pacific Amateur Team Championship for the emerging golf nation.
In 15 previous editions of the Asia-Pacific Amateur, no Vietnamese has won the prestigious Championship, with Nguyen Anh Minh’s tied seventh finish at Royal Melbourne in 2023 being the best result. This past summer, Anh Minh produced another breakthrough by becoming the first Vietnamese to qualify for the final of the U.S. Junior Amateur.
“It was good. I'm just happy that I stick to my strategy. Didn't get frustrated, I'm happy I was composed,” said Khanh Hun. “I think I believe in my preparation and just a lot of trust in myself. I would say everything is feeling nice out there."
Thailand's Namo Luangnitikul blazed the course en route to seizing the second round lead at the ASEAN Templer Park CC 39th Malaysian Ladies Amateur Open on Wednesday.
The 16-year-old Phuket native carded seven birdies in a scintillating round of 66 to open up a five-shot advantage on six-under-par at the Templer Park Country Club.
Overnight leader Zi Yu rued a late collapse as back-to-back bogeys on the 17th and 18th saw her settle for an even-par 72 effort to sit second on one-under-par.
Another Thai, Kanyarak Pongpithanon, was third on even-par following a second consecutive 72, while Malaysia's Wang Xin Yao was a shot back following a 72 of her own.
Luangnitikul was hot off the blocks, trading three birdies against a bogey to make the turn on 34. Following another gain on the 10th, she turned on the heat in her final five holes with three birdies to pull away from the chasing pack.
"Pleasantly surprised with my round today. I wasn't hitting as many greens on the front nine, but I found some rhythm with my approach shots after the turn and just drained some big putts coming home. Happy with my putting on the back nine and hopefully, I can carry that form to tomorrow's final round," said Luangnitikul.
With three runner-up finishes at the ANNIKA Invitational, Thailand Ladies Amateur Open and the Vietnam Amateur Open in recent months, Luangnitikul is hopeful of breaking the duck and claiming a regional amateur championship crown.
"My game has been trending positively recently, and I've come close to winning in several championships. I'm feeling good about my game and I'm just going to try my best tomorrow," she added.
Foong, on the other hand, believes she has her work cut out as she seeks to continue Malaysia's winning run in the championship.
"Today was hard. My ball striking was good but had a couple of holes where if the putts had dropped, the scoreline would have been a lot different. I know it's not the finish I wanted, but in golf anything can happen, and I'm going to turn my attention to the final round tomorrow and come back stronger," said the 20-year-old University of Nevada, Las Vegas sophomore.
Conducted by the Malaysian Ladies Golf Association (MALGA), the 39th edition of the prestigious annual championship boasts 80 participants from eight ASEAN nations as well as seven other Asia-Pacific countries.
Holding a C-rating on the R&A World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), the championship is recognised as the highest-ranked women's amateur golf tournament in Malaysia.
In conjunction with Malaysia's ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, the Ministry of Youth & Sports Malaysia (KBS), through Perbadanan Padang Golf Subang (PPGS), is proud to collaborate with MALGA in co-organising this year's championship in line with Malaysia's commitment to strengthening regional integration and solidarity through sports.
At its core, the championship aims to foster the spirit of sportsmanship, unity and mutual understanding - values central to ASEAN co-operation.
Templer Park Country Club - a long-time supporter of amateur golf in the country - marks its third and final year as the title sponsor and host venue of the championship.
Leading second round scores (Par-72)
138 - Namo Luangnitikul (THA) 72-66
143 - Foong Zi Yu (MAS) 71-72
144 - Kanyarak Pongpithanon (THA) 72-72
145 - Wang Xin Yao (MAS) 73-72
147 - Elaine Widjaja (INA) 74-73
148 - Anjanette Tan (SGP) 78-70, Arnie Pauline Taguines (PHI) 76-72, Sydnie Ng (SGP) 72-76
149 - Samantha Marie-Albert Dizon (PHI) 75-74
150 - Rayi Geulis Zullandari (INA) 76-74, Ting-Hsuan Huang (TPE) 76-74
Invitations to compete in the 16th Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship were sent last month and 116 players to date have been confirmed for the Championship, which will be held October 23-26, 2025, at Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis Course in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Anson Yeo, the leading Malaysian golfer on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), will spearhead the country’s seven-man challenge in Dubai alongside Zia Iqmal Abdul Rashid, Hariz Hezri, Maverick Chua, Farez Azihan, Joshua Lim and Zubair Firdaus.
Created in 2009, the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship was established by the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC), The R&A and the Masters Tournament to further develop amateur golf in the Asia-Pacific region. The champion will receive an invitation to the 2026 Masters Tournament and an exemption into The 154th Open; the runner(s)-up will receive an exemption into The Open Qualifying Series; the top-three finishers will receive an exemption into The 131st Amateur Championship.
This will be Yeo’s fourth successive appearance in the prestigious tournament (T47/2024, 67th/2023, 29th/2022), as with Zubair (MC/2024, T41/2023, T32/2022). Zia Iqmal will be making third start (MC/2024, MC/2023) while Hariz will enjoy his second appearance (MC/2022). Chua, Lim and Farez will savour their debuts as the seven golfers aim to deliver a first victory for Malaysia in the Asia-Pacific Amateur.
“I’m excited to play in my fourth Asia-Pacific Amateur,” said the 19-year-old Yeo, who is presently ranked No. 240 on the WAGR. “Playing in the Masters and The Open is every golfer’s dream and knowing the winner will get the opportunity is an incredible motivation. It will push me to work harder and do well in Dubai.”
Winner of 10 titles including four victories this year, Yeo hopes to use his past experiences in the region’s premier men’s amateur competition to improve on his career best 29th place finish. “Everyone sees it as the biggest stage for amateurs in Asia-Pacific. It not only gives us the chance to compete at the highest level, but this will also motivate upcoming juniors,” said Yeo.
“Each year, I’ve been able to pick up new lessons, which has helped me grow as a golfer and build confidence,” added the Malaysian, whose accolades include being a member of the International Team for the 2022 Junior Presidents Cup.
Chua, who has five amateur wins under his belt, is eager to tee up for the first time against the regions’ top golfers. “I’m really excited for my first Asia-Pacific Amateur. It’s a great opportunity to test myself against the top players,” he said. “Knowing that the winner gets to play in two of the biggest major championships in golf will push me to give my best. Just having the chance to play in this event already feels very special.”
Players from 42 APGC member organizations have accepted invitations with 116 players confirmed thus far for the 120-player field. The field is highlighted by Harry Takis of Australia, 2024 runner-up Ziqin Zhou of China, Kent Hsiao of Chinese Taipei, Jeffrey Shen of Hong Kong, China, Rayhan Latief of Indonesia, Taisei Nagasaki, Taishi Moto and Rintaro Nakano of Japan, and Fifa Laopakdee, Ratchanon “TK” Chantananuwat and Chanachon Chokprajakchat of Thailand. Representatives from four countries have claimed titles at the Asia-Pacific Amateur, including China with five victories, Australia and Japan with four each and the Republic of Korea with two.
Notable past competitors include 2021 Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama, a two-time winner of the Asia-Pacific Amateur, and 2022 Open champion Cameron Smith. Over the Championship’s 15-year history, the Championship has served as a springboard to some of the world’s top players, including Matsuyama, 2018 champion Takumi Kanaya and 2021 champion Keita Nakajima of Japan, Smith, Cameron Davis and Min Woo Lee of Australia, New Zealand’s Ryan Fox, the Republic of Korea’s Si Woo Kim and Chinese Taipei’s C.T. Pan. Collectively, alumni of the Asia-Pacific Amateur have gone on to win 33 tournaments on the PGA Tour to date and more than 140 events across major professional tours.
As the host nation, the United Arab Emirates are projected to have five representatives in the field led by 17-year-old Abdulla Kalbat and five-time participant Ahmad Skaik.
Designed by Karl Litten and established in 1988 as the first grass course in the Middle East, Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis Course is located south of downtown Dubai and enjoys views of the city’s skyline. The Majlis Course annually serves as the host of the DP World Tour’s Dubai Desert Classic, an event won by the likes of Seve Ballesteros, Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Ernie Els, the latter of which owns the course record of 61. Australia’s Lucas Herbert won the Dubai Desert Classic in 2020 to become the first alum to win the event five years after his final appearance at the Asia-Pacific Amateur. Emirates Golf Club will host the Asia-Pacific Amateur for the first time.
Malaysia's Foong Zi Yu is in the driver's seat following the opening round of the ASEAN Templer Park CC 39th Malaysian Ladies Amateur Open on Tuesday.
A late birdie on the 17th hole saw the 2023 Southeast Asia (SEA) Games bronze medallist sign for a one-under 71 to sit on top of the leaderboard at the demanding Templer Park Country Club outside Kuala Lumpur.
One shot off the pace were Thai pair of Kanyarak Pongpithanon and Namo Luangnitikul, as well as Singaporean teenage prodigy Sydnie Ng, who returned identical 72s.
Pre-tournament favourite Wang Xin Yao of Malaysia was in solo fifth following a 73, with Indonesia's Elaine Widjaja a further shot back.
Foong, making her fourth MLAO appearance, was pleased with her effort as the only player to break par in challenging conditions at Templer Park.
After a bogey on the third, she birdied the sixth hole to make the turn on level-par but had to wait until the tail-end of the round to move into red numbers.
"A good day's work, but I had to be patient out there. I was giving myself chances, but couldn't convert them. So I paced myself and managed to snag another birdie late on," said the University of Nevada, Las Vegas sophomore.
"I think it would be important to manage expectations and stay focused on playing my game one shot at a time. I think the only real advantage is that I've played this golf course since my junior days, so I feel very much at home here," she added.
Singapore's Ng was happy to be in the mix but believes she can improve on her decision-making on the course. She was two-under through 14 holes before conceding bogeys on the 15th and 17th holes.
"I think I had the momentum on the front nine, but was a little bit doubtful with my approach distance throughout the round. I need to trust my numbers and commit to the shots in the next two rounds," said the 14-year-old.
Conducted by the Malaysian Ladies Golf Association (MALGA), the 39th edition of the prestigious annual championship boasts 80 participants from eight ASEAN nations as well as seven other Asia-Pacific countries.
Holding a C-rating on the R&A World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), the championship is recognised as the highest-ranked women's amateur golf tournament in Malaysia.
In conjunction with Malaysia's ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, the Ministry of Youth & Sports Malaysia (KBS), through Perbadanan Padang Golf Subang (PPGS), is proud to collaborate with MALGA in co-organising this year's championship in line with Malaysia's commitment to strengthening regional integration and solidarity through sports.
At its core, the championship aims to foster the spirit of sportsmanship, unity and mutual understanding - values central to ASEAN co-operation.
Templer Park Country Club - a long-time supporter of amateur golf in the country - marks its third and final year as the title sponsor and host venue of the championship.
Leading first round scores (Par-72)
71 - Foong Zi Yu (MAS)
72 - Kanyarak Pongpithanon (THA), Namo Luangnitikul (THA), Sydnie Ng (SGP)
73 - Wang Xin Yao (MAS)
74 - Elaine Widjaja (INA)
75 - Samantha Marie-Albert Dizon (PHI), Juwon Kim (NZL), Guntas Kaur Sandhu (IND), Aaradhya Shetty (IND)
