La Manga, Murcia, Spain: Jet-setting Joshua Bai will be the centre of attention when he arrives at La Manga Club for this week’s Bonallack Trophy.
The 17-year-old New Zealander produced a brilliant run to reach the final at the 75th US Junior Amateur Championship in South Carolina. Although he was defeated two-down in an enthralling, weather-hit 36-hole contest against American Bryan Kim on Sunday, Bai’s stock has soared.
“It was a fabulous performance from Joshua and will hopefully provide a timely boost for all of our team members,” said Rishi Narain, non-playing captain of the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation team that will take on their European Golf Association (EGA) counterparts at La Manga Club this week (August 3-5) in the Ryder Cup-style match play event.
“Joshua excelled in both the stroke play and match play segments at the US Junior and we hope his experience there will stand him in good stead for the challenge that lies ahead this week,” added Narain.
Despite his final loss, Bai was in optimistic mood. “I’ll take the positives. I played really well. It boosted my confidence going to tournaments in the future and helps me know that I can compete at the top level.”
Bai also received words of praise from 18-year-old Kim, his conqueror in the final. “He’s such a fierce competitor. I knew he was going to give me a really big fight. I felt like I had to keep up with him,” said incoming Duke University freshman Kim.
Bai’s stamina as well as his skill is sure to be tested in the coming weeks. Following the Bonallack Trophy he’s due to head back to the United States to play in the US Amateur at Cherry Hills before returning to New Zealand.
Two other members of the Asia-Pacific team that have arrived in Spain in good form after impressive exploits in Canada are Australian Jack Buchanan and Chinese Taipei’s Lin Chuan-tai.
At the 56th Pacific Coast Amateur Championship at Capilano Golf & Country Club in Vancouver, Buchanan was pipped for the title in a play-off, having posted rounds of 65, 65, 66 and a closing 71 for a 13-under total. Two strokes further back in a share of third place was Lin.
“It’s encouraging that Joshua, Jack and Chuan-tai are all in such good form ahead of what promises to be a memorable week,” said Narain.
In an enforced late change to the Asia-Pacific team, New Zealand’s Mako Thompson has stepped in to replace Carl Corpus of the Philippines. Corpus himself had been added to the team a week earlier as a replacement for China's Jin Bo.
While Jin had to withdraw because his passport had less than three months before expiry, Corpus was unable to secure his visa in time.
“I know that both Bo and Carl are extremely disappointed that they will not be able to join us and be part of the Asia-Pacific team here. But we thank Mako for stepping in at such late notice,” said Narain.
Thompson has spent some time in the United Kingdom in recent months and has competed in the Lytham Trophy, the Scottish Open Amateur, St Andrews Links Trophy and The Amateur Championship.
Asia-Pacific Bonallack Trophy Team
Joshua Bai (New Zealand); Jack Buchanan (Australia); Cho Woo-young (Korea); Harrison Crowe (Australia); Taichiro Ideriha (Japan); Jang Yu-bin (Korea); Lin Chuan-tai (Chinese Taipei); Nguyen Ahn Minh (Vietnam); Yuta Sugiura (Japan); Mako Thompson (New Zealand), Malcolm Ting (Malaysia); Sampson Zheng Yunhe (China).
