Aussie golfers eye Masters spot at Amateur Championship

Queensland sensations Billy Dowling and Harry Takis are among seven Australian golfers looking to secure a dream ticket to the Masters at this week's Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in Dubai.

Dowling and Takis will be joined by fellow young guns Declan O'Donovan, Jye Halls, Chase Oberle, Kayun Mudadana and Graham Hourn at the Emirates Golf Club's Majlis Course from Thursday.

The stakes are high, with the winner to clinch a spot at the first major of 2026 at Augusta National.

The seven hopefuls will be trying to follow in the footsteps of fellow Australian winners Antonio Murdaca (2014), Curtis Luck (2016), Harrison Crowe (2023) and Jasper Stubbs (2024).

Two-time Asia-Pacific Amateur champion Hideki Matsuyama, who went on to don the green jacket in 2021, 150th Open champion Cameron Smith and fellow Australian Min Woo Lee are other big names to have competed at the event, first staged in 2009.

Now Dowling, Takis and company are dreaming big ahead of Thursday's first round.

Dowling was barely out of kindergarten when Adam Scott denied Angel Cabrera in a playoff in 2013 to be the first Aussie to win the Masters, and hopes to one day replicate the feat.

"I've watched that video over so many times of him holing that putt on the playoff hole," said Dowling, who was second at this year's Scottish Amateur Championship.

"I just think it's so iconic, and how can you not like It? (The thought of playing at Augusta) has to be right up there at the top.

"Nearly qualifying for The Open this year was kind of like, 'I actually can play a major'.

"Playing at The Masters would be awesome, but I can see it happening.

"If it's going to be this year, next year, whenever it's going to be, I'm sure it'll happen."

The 20-year-old from the Gold Coast is making his third start in the event.

In 2023, at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club, Dowling opened with a 68 and was in second place after 54 holes before finishing 10th.

Currently Australia's No.1-ranked amateur and at a career-high world No.90 in the amateur standings, Takis was tied for 41st at the 2023 Asia-Pacific Amateur at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club when fellow Aussie Jasper Stubbs booked his place for the 2024 Masters.

"You kind of wish it was you, to be honest," Takis told Golf Australia.

"I mean, you see everything that comes from it. I definitely wasn't in the position where I was ready to really contend or win that golf tournament, if I'm going to be honest with you.

"I was kind of just there soaking it all up. It was a pretty cool golf course, pretty cool experience.

"This time around, I think I'm very much in the mix to give that a run."