Out in the second group of the day off the 10th tee, Dowling birdied both of his opening two holes to have an early share of the lead alongside Fifa Laopakdee of Thailand.
A seven-strong contingent of Australians has been aided in the lead-up to Round 1 by a detailed dossier by 2020 Dubai Desert Classic champion Lucas Herbert.
The hole-by-hole breakdown on what shots to practice on certain holes, which lines to take on certain tees and the mindset that secured the Victorian a dramatic playoff victory at the Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis Course five years ago shapes as a secret weapon.
Sourced by Golf Australia’s Queensland High Performance Manager, Matt Ballard, and used to develop a training strategy for the past two days, it’s an insight that Australia’s highest-ranked player, Harry Takis, believes gives he and his fellow countrymen a definite edge.
“He sent us a big list of notes on the way he plays the golf course and that’s been a massive help in practise rounds and picking out lines,” said Takis, No.90 on the World Amateur Golf Ranking.
“He told us where to practise from around the greens. That’s been an extra good bit of knowledge that we have that I don’t think anyone else would have.”
Takis played with Queensland Senior Amateur champion Graham Hourn and New South Welshmen Jye Halls and Kayun Mudadana in Wednesday’s final practice round, putting to use Herbert’s notes that may have been less than helpful the day prior.
“When we played yesterday, I said it on the third hole, that I think the wind was completely opposite when he played this golf course,” Takis explained.
“There were holes where he’s hitting driver and I’m like, ‘I can’t hit it there. Like, there’s no chance.’ And then I played it today and it played a little differently.
“It was extremely detail-oriented, and it was a lot of his mentality when he’s hitting certain shots. Stay aggressive here or don’t be afraid of this, all that sort of stuff.
“The best one was kind of telling us where to hit extra shots from around the greens, like hit chips from front left on 17. It’s okay if you hit it short right off the tee. All that little detail that take you a little while to notice when you play a golf course.
“You might only realise on the third and fourth round, and I think getting to know that as soon as you step on the property is a really big advantage.”
The second-oldest player in the field, Kingaroy coal-miner Graham Hourn has become a story in his own right in the lead-up to Round 1.
A latecomer to the game who spent a short period as a professional on the Queensland Pro-Am circuit alongside the likes of Rod Pampling and John Senden in the 1990s, Hourn earned his place at the Asia-Pacific Amateur by virtue of his performances in senior amateur events.
A 16-time club champion at Kingaroy Golf Club three hours north-west of Brisbane, the 57-year-old won the Queensland Senior Amateur, was third at the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) Senior Amateur Championships in the Philippines and tied fourth at the recent Australian Senior Amateur in Sydney.
As he stood beneath the marvel that is the Dubai skyline, Hourn reflected on a circuitous journey to now be competing for a spot at The Masters and The Open Championship.
“Originally it was a long-term plan,” Hourn said of a professional golf career that spanned 1992-1997.
“It was five or six years and then the wife got pregnant so I thought I’d better get a real job.
“This is one chance for the rest of my life to do something like this so try to enjoy it, have a good time and play some good golf.”
The Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship will be broadcast live on both Fox Sports and Kayo from 8pm-11pm Thursday, 9pm-12am Friday, 7pm-10pm Saturday and 8pm-11pm Sunday AEDT.
Player Profiles
Harry Takis
Age: 20
World Amateur Golf Ranking: 90
Home club: Royal Queensland Golf Club
Previous AAC results: T41 (2023)
Best 2025 result: Won Singapore Open Amateur Championship
Kayun Mudadana
Age: 19
World Amateur Golf Ranking: 221
Home club: New South Wales Golf Club, NSW
Previous AAC results: First appearance
Best 2025 result: Won South Australia Amateur Classic
Declan O’Donovan
Age: 22
World Amateur Golf Ranking: 229
Home club: Avondale Golf Club, NSW
Previous AAC results: First appearance
Best 2025 result: Won Canadian Men’s Amateur Championship
Billy Dowling
Age: 20
World Amateur Golf Ranking: 241
Home club: The Brisbane Golf Club, Qld
Previous AAC results: 10th (2023), T37 (2024)
Best 2025 result: 2nd, Scottish Men’s Open Championship
Chase Oberle
Age: 17
World Amateur Golf Ranking: 467
Home club: The Brisbane Golf Club, Qld
Previous AAC results: First appearance
Best 2025 result: Won Queensland Junior Amateur
Graham Hourn
Age: 57
World Amateur Golf Ranking: 542
Home club: Kingaroy Golf Club, Qld
Previous AAC results: First appearance
Best 2025 result: Won Queensland Senior Men’s Amateur Championship
Jye Halls
Age: 20
World Amateur Golf Ranking: 562
Home club: New South Wales Golf Club, NSW
Previous AAC results: First appearance
Best 2025 result: Won Australian Men’s Amateur Championship
© Golf Australia. All rights reserved.
