Australian Davis Delivers Major Show of Strength

New York, United States: With a tied-fourth finish at the PGA Championship, Cameron Davis has broken into the elite top-50 in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) for the first time.

Twice a contender in the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC), Australian Davis carded a closing five-under-par 65 at Oak Hill.

Not only did it ensure him his best Major championship performance, but it also enabled him to rise 19 spots in the OWGR to 49th. That means he’ll now get a start in next month’s US Open as well as an invitation to the 2024 Masters Tournament at Augusta National.

Reflecting on his display, the 28-year-old New South Welshman said: “Every time you have a really good round under tough conditions, it’s just another little positive voice in the back of your head, saying: ‘Yes, I can do this’.

“Even when it’s difficult – even when the rough is really deep and the pins are tight and firming up quick – you can still play really good golf and make a score, especially toward the end of a Major.

“That’s where I want to be. I’d love to win one or more of these, for sure. This is just one more step towards that goal for me. I might have played my way into the other Majors now, which was a pretty good goal to come out of it.”

Davis was close to winning the AAC in 2015 and 2016.

At Hong Kong’s Clearwater Bay Golf & Country Club in 2015, he was one shot off the pace in joint second place after 54 holes. However, with a typhoon forcing the cancellation of the final round, he was not given a chance to chase down China’s Jin Cheng.

At the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea in 2016, Davis was again in second place heading into the final round. This time, though, he could only manage a closing 77 and dropped to fourth spot as his compatriot Curtis Luck emerged victorious.

Other AAC alumni who impressed at Oak Hill included Australians Cameron Smith and Min Woo Lee and New Zealander Ryan Fox.

Smith, the reigning Open champion, matched the closing 65 of Davis to share ninth place.

Meanwhile, based on their strong finishes at the PGA Championship, Lee and Fox have secured Special Temporary Membership of the PGA Tour. Lee finished tied for 18th while Fox was joint 23rd.

Three other AAC participants to make the cut at Oak Hill were Hideki Matsuyama of Japan, among those in equal 29th place, alongside Korean KH Lee, and Australian Lucas Herbert (tied 40th).