Australia Names Top Amateur for Asia-Pacific Championship at Te Arai

Australian Contingent Heads to New Zealand

A seven-player Australian contingent will travel to New Zealand this October for the 17th Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship. The tournament runs from October 29 to 31, 2026, at Te Arai Links’ South Course. Harry Takis, currently the highest-ranked player in the field, leads the Australian squad. This year, Australia seeks to claim its fifth individual title at the championship.

The winner earns direct entry into both the Masters Tournament at Augusta National and The Open Championship. Australia has established a strong record in this event, securing four titles over the past decade. The Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation, The R&A, and the Masters Tournament established this championship in 2009.

Their aim was to develop amateur golf throughout the Asia-Pacific region. The championship limits its field to 120 competitors, ensuring a competitive environment.

Key Players and Returning Competitors

The Australian team features three returning players from the 2025 championship: Harry Takis, Graham Hourn, and Kayan Mudadana. Four new players will make their debut: Harrison Gomez, Samuel Cascio, Rick Heath, and Wesley Hinton. Harry Takis, ranked 17th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, is the highest-ranked player in the field.

He secured a fourth-place finish in Dubai last year and competed at Royal Melbourne in 2023. Takis, a member of the San Diego State Aztecs golf team, also earned a spot on Team International for the 2026 Arnold Palmer Cup. Kayan Mudadana, a former Cam Smith Scholarship recipient, finished second in this year’s adidas Australian Amateur Championship. He also won the Avondale Amateur and placed equal fifth at the Western Amateur Championship in the United States.

New Faces and Experienced Amateurs

Among the other Australian representatives, Samuel Cascio, the 2024 Australian Junior Amateur champion, has already secured two titles this year: the NT Amateur and the Wollongong Open. He also represented Australia internationally at the Toyota Junior World Cup in Nagoya, Japan, and the Junior World Championships at Torrey Pines.

Harrison Gomez’s recent achievements include winning the Greg Norman Junior Masters, the Jack Newton International Junior Classic, and the NextGen Lakeside event. He also finished as runner-up in the Singapore Open Amateur within the past year.

Wesley Hinton, another former Cam Smith Scholarship recipient, holds the reigning Dunes Medal champion title and won the Queensland Amateur last year. Rick Heath, based in Switzerland, placed equal second in the R&A Senior Amateur Championship and lost in a play-off at the European Seniors Championship.

His career includes playing in the 2000 US Open and two other PGA TOUR events. Graham Hourn is the reigning Queensland Senior Amateur champion and was runner-up in this year’s National Seniors Matchplay Championship.

Te Arai Links: The Championship Venue

The 17th Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship will unfold at Te Arai Links’ South Course, located on New Zealand’s North Island. The venue sits approximately 75 minutes north of Auckland. Designed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, the South Course opened in 2022. It features a links-style layout with 16 holes offering views of the Pacific Ocean.

The course is built on natural sand dunes, promoting firm and fast fescue conditions. Te Arai Links regularly appears in global top-100 course rankings. Australia has a successful history at the championship, with four players lifting the trophy in the last decade. Jasper Stubbs secured a victory at Royal Melbourne in 2023, following Harrison Crowe’s win in Thailand in 2022.

Curtis Luck won in 2016, and Antonio Murdaca claimed the championship when Royal Melbourne last hosted in 2014. The championship provides a direct path for the winner to compete at two of golf’s major tournaments. This creates a high-stakes environment for amateur players across the region.