Asia Pacific Amateur Championship\n It started in 2009 and marks the 16th anniversary of this year.\n The only Asian 男 championship hosted by two groups\n The Open will support all expenses for all participants.\n From 2018, the women’s competition will also be held
사진 확대 Augusta National Golf Club President Fred Ridley speaks during a press conference at the 16th Asia Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) on Sunday. AAC
The Augusta National Golf Club and the International Golf Organization R&A, which host the Masters Tournament, invest more than 10 billion won in Asian golf every year. The Asia Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC), which marks its 16th anniversary this year, is the only men’s competition held by the two groups in Asia.
At a press conference held at the Emirates Golf Club Majlis Course in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on the 23rd (Korea time), Augusta National Golf Club President Fred Ridley and R&A CEO Mark Davon said, “The AAC growth curve over the past 15 years is amazing. In the future, greater development will take place,” he said in unison.
The reason why the two organizations have poured tens of billions of won over the past 16 years into the tournament, which is known to cost at least $5 million every year, is that the development potential of Asian golf is endless. Some figures have already shown up. The number of times players who have passed this competition have reached the top of the professional competition is 160 times. In addition, according to an R&A survey, the number of registered golfers under the age of 18 in the Asia-Pacific region increased by nearly 3 million.
CEO Davon said, “I think AAC played a key role in the rapid growth of Asian golf. This is consistent with the direction pursued by the R&A. Based on meaningful results, we are trying to develop some plans so that the influence of Asian golf can be greater,” he stressed.
사진 확대 R&A CEO Mark Davon speaks during the 16th Asia Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) press conference on the 23rd. AAC
Augusta National Golf Club and R&A provide all tickets, accommodation, and meals to all players participating in this tournament. This is not the only one. Golf courses and practice ranges have been built at major levels such as Masters and The Open so that amateur players can fully demonstrate their skills and grow to the next level.
Ridley noted that the tournament is a “pathway” for young athletes in the Asia-Pacific region to take the world stage. He said, “The competition began in 2009 with a vision to inspire them from a global perspective. There are many impressive aspects, such as the players’ rapidly improving skills and the number of college golf students in the United States. We will spare no support to increase the influence of Asian golf,” he explained.
To inspire and motivate Asian athletes, the two organizations risked qualifying for the Masters, The Open and The Amateur Championships as championship injuries. CEO Davon said, “AAC champions get a chance to change their lives. More importantly, it will give more Asian amateur players a dream of winning the AAC. This is the biggest reason for holding the AAC,” he said.
The best success story at AAC is Hideki Matsuyama of Japan, who became the first Asian player to win the Masters in 2021. Matsuyama, who was also the AAC winner in 2010 and 2011, continued to develop after his professional debut to become a professional golfer who is drawing attention from all over the world beyond Asia.
Augusta National Golf Club and R&A have hosted the Women’s Amateur Asia Pacific Championship (WAAP) since 2018, and have been investing in the development of Asian women’s golf. WAAP is also responsible for air tickets and accommodation for all participants. This is why the two organizations are evaluated to spend well over 10 billion won annually on Asian golf.
An UAE golf official who met at the scene said, “AAC has played a more important role than expected in accelerating the development of Asian golf. It’s not just the players who participated in this competition. It is also a meeting place where association officials from each country gather in one place to share information. In addition, in the case of regions hosting the tournament, officials from major golf organizations around the world, such as Augusta National Golf Club and The Open, will visit, so they will have the best opportunity to build a new network.
Closing the gap between Asian countries is a task ahead. Currently, the size of the golf market in Korea and Japan is evaluated as one of the top five in the world. However, in Bangladesh and Bhutan, golf has not been popularized yet. The two organizations, who know this better than anyone else, are continuing various efforts, such as training golf rules and granting opportunities to participate in AAC. Reporter Lim Jung-woo from Dubai
사진 확대 Augusta National Golf Club President Fred Ridley takes a commemorative photo with participants during the 16th Asian Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) eve event on Tuesday. AAC
