Asia-Pacific Championships: Jaglan tied-28th, Aussie Stubbs wins title to earn berth into Augusta Masters, Open for 2024
Oct 30, 2023
Melbourne [Australia], October 30 : India's Shaurya Bhattacharya and Yuvraj Singh scored the best rounds of even par 71 on the final day, but it was Shubham Jaglan (74) at Tied-28th place in the Asia-Pacific Championships in Melbourne who stole the show among the Indian golfers in the fray.
Jaglan (74) at 14-over was Tied-28th place and Bhattacharya was Tied-31 and Yuvraj Singh (71) and Raghav Chugh (76) were Tied-36th. The 13-year-old Kartik Singh (77), who created a record by becoming the youngest player to make the cut at the AAC, finished T-57.
Meanwhile, Australia's Jasper Stubbs (69), who lives close to the venue, Royal Melbourne Golf Club, stunned Chinese duo Ding Wenyi (70) and Zheng Sampson Yunhe (75). The three were tied at 1-over 285 at the Par-71 Melbourne Golf Club.
In a three-man play-off Stubbs had two brilliant putts as Sampson exited first when the other two birdied. In the second play-off Stubbs parred after a superb first putt, while Ding Wenyi's putt hit the cup but did not fall.
Stubbs who hit the first tee shot of the Championships on Thursday also made the final putt to win the thrilling battle.
His win gave him an entry into two of the biggest Majors, the Augusta Masters in April, and the Open in July.
"Those two putts were just 'nuts', " said Stubbs, who holed a 20-foot downhill putt on the first extra hole for a birdie. Then on the second play-off hole he hit a 60-foot putt to within three inches for a par and won the title.
Stubbs was six shots behind the leader, Sampson, at the start of the day. He made two bogeys in the first six holes but rallied with four birdies in the last to shoot 2-under for the day. His total was 1-over 285 and Ding Wenyi joined him.
Playing in the last group, overnight leader Sampson shot 4-over but joined the play-off with a superb bunker shot that led to a par.
When Stubbs birdied the 18th on the first play-off hole, it was the first time anyone had birdied the hole on the final day. Both Stubbs and Ding Wenyi did it, but on the next Stubbs parred and Ding failed.
Stubbs is the fourth Australian winner of the Championship and follows Antonio Murdaca, who won at Royal Melbourne in 2014, as well as Curtis Luck, who won in South Korea in 2016 and Harrison Crowe, who won last year in Thailand.
