Carl Yuan Finishes Tied for Third at Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship
October 28, 2017 | Men's Golf
WELLINGTON, NEW ZEALAND --- University of Washington junior Carl Yuan shot a final-round 3-under 68 including birdies on the final two holes to finish in a tie for third place at 7-under 277 at the 2017 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship at the Royal Wellington Club in New Zealand.
Yuan, whose given name is Yechun, posted three rounds in the 60s slowly working his way toward the top of the leaderboard after a rough first round. The UW junior posted a first-round score of 74 after posting a bogey, then double-bogey on the final two holes. He was tied for 42nd after the first round and in danger of missing the cut and was 11 shots behind the leader.
But Yuan rebounded nicely the second round, matching the low round with a 5-under 66, and jumping back into the fray. He recorded just one bogey and had six birdies including three-straight holes early on the front nine.
Yuan kept the forward momentum going on day three, moving into fifth place with a 2-under 69. He was even through the front nine, but a bogey on 16 left him one over. He came up with a huge shot on his second on 17, recording an eagle to drop back in the red, then finishing with a birdie on 18.
Yuan closed out the championship with a 68 including a pair of birdies on the final two holes, to move up two posts and finish in a tie for third overall with a four-round total of 277 (74-66-69-68). I was Yuan's third trip to the Asia-Pacific Championship and third top-20 finish. He placed 20th overall in 2014, the season before arriving at UW. Last season, he used another late run to place ninth overall.
"The course and weather were great this week and the score was lower than I expected," said Yuan. "I didn't start the tournament well and I was right on the cut line. But Coach Murray always refers to me as a 'sand-bagger' and I agree with that. I truly believe in myself that I will find a way to get the job done no matter how tough it is."
"I wasn't worried about the cut after round one," Yuan added. "Instead, I was thinking that I was 11 shots back and how cool it would be if I can have a comeback and win this thing. What makes me more proud is to have China as the only country to win this championship which is more than any other country. Also we had four guys finish in the top five as well. It was a great week for me but it is an even bigger week for my country."
The Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship was created in February 2009 as a joint initiative to develop the game by the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation, the Masters Tournament and The R&A. The prestigious field is capped at 120 of the top male amateur players. An invitation to two of golf's four majors is on the line as the winner received direct entry to the 2018 Open Championship (British Open) at Carnoustie and the 2018 Master's Tournament while the runner-up earns an invitation to the Open Qualifying Series to the British Open.
Yuan has been Washington's top golfer this season, posting a scoring average of 70.1 with five rounds below par including three rounds in the 60's and two Top 10 finishes through three events (8 rounds) this season.
Washington's men's golf team closes out the fall portion of its 2017-18 season at the Warrior Wave Invitational Oct. 29-31
Yuan, whose given name is Yechun, posted three rounds in the 60s slowly working his way toward the top of the leaderboard after a rough first round. The UW junior posted a first-round score of 74 after posting a bogey, then double-bogey on the final two holes. He was tied for 42nd after the first round and in danger of missing the cut and was 11 shots behind the leader.
But Yuan rebounded nicely the second round, matching the low round with a 5-under 66, and jumping back into the fray. He recorded just one bogey and had six birdies including three-straight holes early on the front nine.
Yuan kept the forward momentum going on day three, moving into fifth place with a 2-under 69. He was even through the front nine, but a bogey on 16 left him one over. He came up with a huge shot on his second on 17, recording an eagle to drop back in the red, then finishing with a birdie on 18.
Yuan closed out the championship with a 68 including a pair of birdies on the final two holes, to move up two posts and finish in a tie for third overall with a four-round total of 277 (74-66-69-68). I was Yuan's third trip to the Asia-Pacific Championship and third top-20 finish. He placed 20th overall in 2014, the season before arriving at UW. Last season, he used another late run to place ninth overall.
"The course and weather were great this week and the score was lower than I expected," said Yuan. "I didn't start the tournament well and I was right on the cut line. But Coach Murray always refers to me as a 'sand-bagger' and I agree with that. I truly believe in myself that I will find a way to get the job done no matter how tough it is."
"I wasn't worried about the cut after round one," Yuan added. "Instead, I was thinking that I was 11 shots back and how cool it would be if I can have a comeback and win this thing. What makes me more proud is to have China as the only country to win this championship which is more than any other country. Also we had four guys finish in the top five as well. It was a great week for me but it is an even bigger week for my country."
The Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship was created in February 2009 as a joint initiative to develop the game by the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation, the Masters Tournament and The R&A. The prestigious field is capped at 120 of the top male amateur players. An invitation to two of golf's four majors is on the line as the winner received direct entry to the 2018 Open Championship (British Open) at Carnoustie and the 2018 Master's Tournament while the runner-up earns an invitation to the Open Qualifying Series to the British Open.
Yuan has been Washington's top golfer this season, posting a scoring average of 70.1 with five rounds below par including three rounds in the 60's and two Top 10 finishes through three events (8 rounds) this season.
Washington's men's golf team closes out the fall portion of its 2017-18 season at the Warrior Wave Invitational Oct. 29-31
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