Jasper Stubbs earned his invitation to the 2024 Masters Tournament in October following his win at Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Australia.
Stubbs, a resident of Melbourne and member of the Australian National team, was ranked 476th in the world entering the week of the Asia-Pacific Amateur. Stubbs started the final round six behind third-round leader Sampson Zheng, but used his Sandbelt experience to card a two-under-par 69 and force a three-way playoff.
Wenyi Ding, Sampson Zheng and Jasper Stubbs returned to the 18th hole where Ding and Stubbs carded the first birdies of the day on no. 18 to move on to a second playoff hole. Stubbs’ 60-foot lag putt to tap-in distance was enough to defeat Ding on the second extra hole. With his final putt of less than three inches, Stubbs secured the victory, kept the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship trophy in Australia for another year and punched his ticket to Augusta National Golf Club.
Fast forward to early April, and Stubbs got to enjoy an experience unlike any other.
“Coming to Augusta, it’s obviously always spoken highly about how perfect it is, and I think it definitely lives up to that expectation,” said Stubbs during his pre-Tournament press conference. “Magnolia Lane with the flowers out is an amazing sight.”
Stubbs made the most of his time at Augusta National. He played with compatriot Cameron Davis during his Monday practice round before attending the Amateur Dinner and sleeping in the Crow’s Nest that night (and watching the men’s basketball NCAA Division I National Championship alongside fellow amateurs Christo Lamprecht and Neal Shipley). Tuesday, he played alongside two-time Asia-Pacific Amateur champion and 2021 Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama.
Stubbs ultimately missed the 36-hole cut but enjoyed his first competitive rounds at Augusta National alongside playing partners Corey Conners and 2007 Masters champion Zach Johnson.
“I think to have this opportunity to be able to come here this week and be able to learn about the course and the style of golf you need to play to be a professional golfer competing in major championships is a great opportunity and not one that I take lightly,” said Stubbs. “Yeah, I’m very grateful.”
