[Photo: AAC Golf]

Phoenix Campbell says embracing the rain will be key over the weekend at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in Japan after deliberately shelving a wet-weather jacket during a sensational second round.

The 23-year-old Victorian stared down a heavy deluge and climbed contention with a four-under-par 66 during a weather-interrupted second round. He sat three-under (137) and just four shots behind the leader, Japan’s Rintaro Nakano, while tournament favourite, Wenyi Ding, and popular Indonesian Randy Bintang, were trailing six-under.

The Asia-Pacific Amateur is jointly run by Augusta National and the R&A and the winner receives a start in the 2025 Masters and Open Championship.

Campbell, who won a professional tournament at the Queensland PGA last year, was pleased with shooting under par in tough conditions at the Taiheiyo Club in Gotemba, Japan. “I had a lot of opportunities out there,” Campbell told Australian Golf Digest. “It was really soft, so I knew I could capitalise if I struck the ball well and I had good control. My approach play was really good. I’m sitting right where I want to be.”

The 2024 Master of the Amateurs winner said his driver was key to going low. “I stuck with the fade off the tee today and it really worked for me,” he said. “Once you’re in the fairway, you can go for it, because the course set up wasn’t too difficult, the pins weren’t too too hard, and the tees are a little bit forward.”

In a stop-start, weather-delayed event like this week, going with the flow was the best mentality for Campbell.

“It’s more about enjoying the rain, rather than fighting it all the time, and just being being part of it,” he said. “I don’t know if you saw me out there today, but I [wore] no rain jacket or anything. I was just enjoying it and getting a little bit wet out there.”

Campbell will take the same approach to winning this weekend; he’ll try to continue striking the ball well and see what the golf gods have in store. “I’m not too worried about winning or losing,” he said. “It all goes in cycles and I’ll know when it’s my time. I’ve just got to stay patient, trust the process and play my game.”

Quinnton Croker and Tony Chen were the next best of the Australians at even-par. Queenslander Billy Dowling was one-over while defending Asia-Pacific champion Jasper Stubbs was four-over. Western Australian Connor Fewkes was five-over. The 36-hole cut fell at seven-over and Lukas Michel made it on the number. All seven Australians in the field made the 36-hole cut.