Hai Phong, Vietnam: Australia made a flying start to the defence of their titles at the 2024 Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) Senior Amateur Championships.
Led by Ken Brewer and reigning Australia Senior Amateur champion Gemma Dooley, the Australian men’s and women’s team seized the early initiative on a cool day of light breezes at Vinpearl Hai Phong.
Brewer, who was part of the triumphant Australian team in Malaysia in 2022, birdied the closing hole to sign for an even-par 72 on the Marsh Course, while debutant Peter Bennett carded a 73 and David Gannon returned a 75.
That gave Australia an opening-day tally of four-over-par 220 in the men’s event in which the best three scores from each four-man team are counted. Bradley Dowling, the fourth member of the Australian line-up, carded a 76 which was not needed.
Heading into day two of the 54-hole championships, Australia hold a three-stroke advantage from New Zealand and Korea in joint second place. India are three shots further back in fourth.
In the women’s event on the adjacent Lake Course, Dooley’s even-par 72 was backed up by a 73 from Sue Wooster, who pipped Dooley to the individual title last year at Vinpearl Resort and Golf Nam Hoi An in Quang Nam.
In the women’s event, it’s the best two scores in each team of three that are tallied. That meant Louise Mullard’s 76 was not counted.
With a team total of one-over 145, Australia are four strokes clear of second-placed Japan with New Zealand in third on 154.
Dooley, who edged Wooster in a sudden-death play-off to win the Australian Senior Women's Amateur a fortnight ago, leads the women’s individual standings here, one shot ahead of Wooster and left-handed New Zealander Lisa Herbert.
Japan’s Haruko Hirabayashi is fourth after a 74 while her compatriot Shiori Uchiyama is in a share of fifth place with Singaporean Emily Lee Beng Hua on 75.
In the men’s individual event, only three players had the distinction of bettering par over the course at which Vietnam scored an historic victory in the 30th edition of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Team Championship for the Nomura Cup in mid-October.
Leading the way are the Korean duo of Heo Ji-baek and Jang Myung-duk, both of whom shot two-under-par 70s. Heo snared four birdies against two bogeys, while Jang’s five birdies were offset by three bogeys.
“This is my first time in the APGC Senior Championships so I’m pleased with that start,” said Heo, a member of the four-strong team representing Korea. Jang is playing here as an individual.
The third player in red figures is Hong Kong China’s Jay Won, who compiled a one-under 71.
Leading Men’s Team Scores
220 – Australia
223 – New Zealand; Korea
226 – India
230 – Myanmar
231 – Hong Kong China
233 – Singapore
234 - Vietnam
Leading Men’s Individual Scores
70 – Heo Ji-baek (Korea); Jang Myung-duk (Korea)
71 – Jay Won (Hong Kong China)
72 – Ken Brewer (Australia)
73 – Peter Bennett (Australia); U Soe (Myanmar); Kim Dong-sub (Korea)
74 – Lim Nae-rack (Korea); Malcolm Gullery (New Zealand); Roy Hollick (New Zealand); Sandeep Sandhu (India)
75 – David Gannon (Australia); Mark Anderson (New Zealand); Stuart Duff (New Zealand); Jin Sung-keun (Korea)
Leading Women’s Team Scores
145 – Australia
149 – Japan
154 – New Zealand
159 – Singapore
160 – Hong Kong China
Leading Women’s Individual Scores
72 – Gemma Dooley (Australia)
73 – Lisa Herbert (New Zealand); Sue Wooster (Australia)
74 – Haruko Hirabayashi (Japan)
75 – Emily Lee Beng Hua (Singapore); Shiori Uchiyama (Japan)
76 – Louise Mullard (Australia)
78 – Cathy Chung (Hong Kong China)
