Asia Pacific Amateur: Young Aussie Jasper Stubbs clinches spot at Augusta, The Open

Jasper Stubbs won the Asia Pacific Amateur in a two-hole playoff in his native Australia at Royal Melbourne.

Jasper Stubbs, a 21-year-old from Victoria, Australia, conquered the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship in his own backyard at Royal Melbourne.

He defeated Wenyi Ding and Sampson Zheng of China in a two-hole playoff after firing a 2-under 69.

Only four players carded rounds under 70 on Sunday because of the windy conditions, making Stubbs’ electrifying round that much more impressive.

The Aussie’s victory in the Sandbelt region earns him a spot at the 2024 Masters Tournament at Augusta National. He will head to the 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon too. Plus, he’ll be exempt from qualifying for the Amateur Championship at Ballyliffin in County Donegal, Ireland.

It is a life-changing victory for Stubbs, the 476th-ranked player in the Amateur World Golf Rankings. His victory at Royal Melbourne marked the third-highest-ranked amateur to win the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship.

In 2010, Hideki Matsuyama, at 544th in the world, became the highest-ranked amateur to win the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship. He did so in his native Japan by five strokes. That victory earned him a trip to Augusta National, where he became the first Japanese player to compete in the Masters. He also made the cut that year—the only amateur to do so—and earned the distinction of being the low amateur.

Of course, a decade later, Matsuyama won the Green Jacket.

Perhaps the Green Jacket is in Stubbs’ future too.

Nevertheless, that opportunity would not have come his way if he did not turn things around after the first few holes on Sunday at Royal Melbourne.

Stubbs was 2-over through six holes, struggling through the howling wind.

But he regained his composure, made four straight birdies, and did not record a single bogey the rest of the way. He ended up hitting 15 greens in regulation, a necessity to conquering Royal Melbourne, which, funny enough, many have compared to Augusta National.

Then, in the playoff, Stubbs made a miraculous birdie on the first extra hole. But so too did Ding, the second-highest ranked player in the field at the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship this week.

On the next hole, Stubbs found the green yet again, but Ding dropped his approach into the greenside bunker.

Ding, who will play at Arizona State starting next spring, became the first man from China to win a USGA event as he won the 2022 U.S. Junior Amateur at Bandon Dunes.

But he could not get the job done this time at Royal Melbourne, as he failed to get up and down from the sand.

Instead, Stubbs emerged victorious after two playoff holes, thanks to a beautiful lag-putt that secured the title.

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko for more golf coverage. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough too.