UAE’s Rayan Ahmed and Abdulla Kalbat aim for success at Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in Japan

The champion of this week's tournament will earn invites to both The Masters and The Open

Published: Tue 1 Oct 2024, 8:45 PM

By
Nick Tarratt, Khaleej Times Guest Golf Writer in Japan

Taiheiyo Club, Gotemba, host venue for this week's Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in the foothills of Mount Fuji in Japan. - Supplied photo

This week, the Taiheiyo Club Gotemba, nestled in the foothills of Mount Fuji, will host the 15th Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC).

The UAE will be represented by 17-year-olds Rayan Ahmed and Abdulla Kalbat, who are both eager to make their mark in this prestigious tournament which will run from October 3rd to 6th.

Whoever excels on this challenging layout will join an esteemed group of past champions and earn invitations to the 2025 Masters and the 153rd Open at Royal Portrush.

In addition to the UAE, other Middle Eastern countries participating include Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.

Rayan Ahmed. - Photo EGF

This year’s event marks the championship's return to Japan for the first time since 2010 when Hideki Matsuyama claimed victory at Kasumigaseki Golf Club near Tokyo.

Gotemba is 100 kilometres southwest of Tokyo and has previously hosted significant events, most notably the 2001 World Cup of Golf, where South African golfers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen emerged victorious.

The course underwent renovations in 2018, led by architect Rees Jones, with Matsuyama taking on a consultancy role. This was Matsuyama's first-course design project after winning the Masters in 2021 and the AAC twice.

Abdulla Kalbat, - Photo X

Originally designed in 1977, Gotemba was renovated to increase its challenge. The winning scores for the Taiheiyo Masters in 2016 and 2017 totalled an impressive 41 under par, including Matsuyama's remarkable 23 during his second victory eight years ago.

While the course's length was not significantly increased, changes included the alteration of existing bunkers, the addition of new ones, the reconfiguration of greenside ponds, and the removal of select trees. These modifications not only opened up stunning views of Mount Fuji—especially visible from the fifth fairway—but also increased sunlight exposure on the greens.

Recent winning scores in the Taiheiyo Masters have decreased, and members are enjoying the new challenges presented by the redesign. The course layout features the potential for dramatic finishes, with a par-three 17th hole followed by a par-five 18th hole, both contributing to an overall par of 72.

One of the standout holes is the 17th, measuring 228 yards from the championship tees. The hole features a signature pond and strategically placed bunkers, with wind often drifting down from the summit of Mount Fuji.

The 18th hole offers exciting eagle opportunities. In the 2020 Taiheiyo Masters, Jinichiro Kozuma hit a remarkable 230-yard approach shot that nearly found the cup, setting up an easy putt for eagle, which ultimately secured his victory by one stroke amid a crowded leaderboard.

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