Crowning Glory for Courageous Crowe

Chonburi, Thailand: Harrison Crowe produced a stunning back nine fightback to emerge triumphant in the 13th Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC).

Seemingly down and out after a wayward start to the final round at Amata Spring Country Club, the 21-year-old Australian dug deep to snare four birdies in five holes on the homeward stretch.

Thanks to that inspired spell, Crowe, the overnight leader, carded an even-par 72 for a 13-under aggregate of 275.

That was one stroke ahead of China’s Jin Bo, who led by one shot with two holes remaining but was left to rue a double-bogey five at the island green 17th where he found water off the tee.

In joint third place on 279 were Australian Jeffrey Guan and Japan’s Ryuta Suzuki.

Thai Ratchanon ‘TK’ Chantananuwat and China’s Ding Wenyi, the two highest ranked players in the field at number 12 and 17 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, were among four players tied for 13th on 282.

With his victory, Crowe earns starts in the Masters Tournament and the Open Championship in 2023 – rich rewards that persuaded him to shelve his plans to turn professional immediately after the AAC.

The AAC trophy will go alongside three other pieces of silverware he’d already collected this year – the Australian Master of the Amateurs as well as both the New South Wales Amateur and New South Wales Open championships.

Two shots clear at the top after rounds of 69, 67 and 67, Crowe made a tentative start to the final round with bogeys at one, four and nine to reach the turn in three-over 39.

While Crowe struggled, Jin, who finished joint third in Dubai last year and was aiming to emulate the AAC success of his brother, Jin Cheng in 2015, negotiated the front nine in two-under 34 to lead by three.

When the 20-year-old Oklahoma State University junior holed out from a greenside bunker for an eagle-two at the short par-four 12th, the trophy appeared to be within his grasp – only for him to be badly bitten at the two remaining par-threes.

At the 13th he pushed his tee shot to the right and failed to get up-and-down, but it was his miss-hit at 17 that proved especially costly.

Meanwhile, a two-putt birdie for Crowe at the long 11th – his first gain of the day – had instilled belief that the title was still within his grasp. Further birdies followed at 12, 13 and 15.

Although he dropped a shot at 16 to trail by one, Crowe regained the advantage on the short 17th where Bo’s tee-shot found a watery grave. Crowe duly hit the green and two-putted for a safe par.

Both players missed the green on 18. Bo made a classy up-and-down for his par, forcing Crowe to make a three-footer to confirm the win. Having executed a delicate chip from the left of the putting surface, he made no mistake with the putt to become the third Australian to win the AAC title, following Antonio Murdaca in 2014 and Curtis Luck in 2016.

Sarut Vongchaisit of Thailand made the first albatross in the history of the AAC when he holed his second shot on the 584-yard, par-five second hole.

“I had 250 yards for my second shot to the hole and it was a perfect hybrid club and wind right‑to‑left and with a perfect angle to hit to that pin. I didn’t know it went in. I thought it could be long. I didn’t know I made it until I actually saw the ball in the hole. I was kind of shocked,” said Sarut, who closed with a two-under par 70.

*For full results, please visit www.aacgolf.com