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Jasper Stubbs has tasted victory. The defending Asia-Pacific Amateur champion has experienced his dream-come-true moments at The Masters and The Open Championship, and he is desperate to do it all over again.
The Australian will aim to replicate the achievement of Japanese legend and 2021 Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama, the only player in the history of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) to win back-to-back titles.
Last year, the 22-year-old had the privilege of hitting the first tee shot of the championship at the revered Royal Melbourne Golf Club and then had the honour of making the final putt as he overcame a seven-shot deficit against China’s Yunhe Sampson Zheng over the last 12 holes, and then prevailed in a playoff.
Matsuyama won the AAC titles in 2010 and 2011, and, at this year’s championship at Taiheiyo Club Gotemba, from October 3-6, ‘Stubsy’ will hope to follow in the footsteps of the man who was a consultant when the course was redesigned in 2018 by Rees Jones.
Major Experience
“This has been a pretty incredible year. I have seen everything that’s always been the dream for me. So, to have a dream and have it become my reality was awesome,” said Stubbs.
“Winning this Championship last year was always on the table. It was a goal of mine from start of last year, and then to have that come to fruition in October was pretty cool.
“The fruits of my labor after that were pretty awesome as I got to play The Masters and The Open Championship, and they were some of the best experiences of my life. So, this is definitely going to be a year I'll never forget. I’m grateful for that.”
Stubbs has played some of the biggest professional and amateur golf championships this year, but the results have not gone his way. Ranked 214th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), he may not be the pre-tournament favourite, but he has proved in the past that rankings are just numbers.
When he won in Melbourne last year, Stubbs was ranked 476th in the WAGR and became the third highest-ranked player in the Championship's history to win the title. Quite aptly for him, Matsuyama was 544th when he won in 2010, and China’s Tianlang Guan was 490th when he won in 2012.
Jasper Stubbs celebrates his historic AAC victory
Stubbs targeting title again
“For anyone in the world of golf, amateur or professional, any chance you've got to get to two majors, you definitely want to take that opportunity. And having experienced that this year, I think I've got a little bit more of a taste of what it actually entails to play major championship-level golf. So that’s what I look to do again,” said Stubbs.
“I want to have that feeling again. So, this is just another great opportunity to get me back there and, hopefully, do a little bit better this time.
“The Asia-Pacific Amateur Championships are super well run. Last year was incredible. And I think if it's anything like last year, it will be another amazing event. That's what I'm looking forward to most. Obviously, the goal is to win and book myself a ticket to two more majors. That’s the plan.”
Having his family and friends experience Augusta National Golf Club and Royal Troon with him and getting to hug them after finishing 18 holes, are some of the abiding memories that Stubbs says he will never forget and is eager to experience again.
The only top-10 finish after his AAC win for Stubbs came the week after at the New Zealand Amateur Championship (tied 9th), but Stubbs is convinced the exposure has helped him become a better player.
“One of the most important things that I'm taking away from this year is I feel like I've stepped up a level of tournaments. My results might not have been as good but I’m playing in a lot more professional events and a lot more high-level events that have better fields that demand a bit more consistent and good golf,” said Stubbs, who shot 1-over in regulation play to get into the playoff last season.
“I think I’m pretty close. It's just not quite there yet. But I am working well with my team, and we've gotten a lot closer over this year as I had more opportunities to take them to events and have them with me at the majors.
“I don’t look at this year as a failure. I still take things out of this year. I continue to do that every single year for the rest of my golfing career. And I think it's just another step forward to my next step, which is to turn professional.”
