Golf Australia has named an imposing seven-man team for the 2024 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship to be played in Japan in October, where major starts for 2025 go on the line.

The team is spearheaded by reigning adidas Australian Amateur champion Quinnton Croker from Royal Queensland, while defending AAC champion Jasper Stubbs from Peninsula Kingswood is also back to round out his amateur career.

US college star Tony Chen (Vic) is there along with a sprinkling of youth through 18-year-old Queenslander Billy Dowling, and the experience of Victorians Phoenix Campbell and Lukas Michel and WA lefty Connor Fewkes.

Matt Ballard is the team coach.

Remarkably, the national senior amateur champion James Lavender withdrew to leave a spot for a younger player, despite having a guaranteed spot based on his world amateur ranking.

Golf Australia’s general manager of high performance, Brad James, praised Lavender for his “selfless” decision to step aside for a younger player.

The Asia-Pacific championship carries with it the lure of starts in the 2025 Masters tournament at Augusta National and the 2025 Open Championship at Royal Portrush.

Three Australians – Stubbs last year, Harrison Crowe in 2022 and Curtis Luck in 2016 – have benefitted from this amazing experience previously having won the AAC.

Ballard said the Australian team had good prospects for Japan.

“The Asia-Pacific is all about the opportunities and the prize at the end,” he said. “We’ve seen this with our past winners Jasper Stubbs, Harrison Crowe and Curtis Luck, and how much they’ve got out of it. We know that it’s a wonderful prize for any young player to take part in two majors.

“Even aside the from that it’s another opportunity to compete at a high level, it’s playing overseas on a good golf course and under pressure. It’s a significant part of the journey for these players and we think that they’ll handle themselves well.”

Three of the Australians will be on AAC debuts while the 2023 winner from Royal Melbourne in Stubbs, Croker, Fewkes and Dowling have all competed in this event before.

AUSTRALIAN TEAM – ASIA-PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIP 2024

October 3-6, Taiheiyo Club (Gotemba course), Japan

Connor Fewkes (WA)
Age: 24
Club: Goldfields GC
Highlights: City of Perth Amateur 2024, Australian Boys Amateur 2018.
Bio: Kalgoorlie product, former Australian junior champion and left-hander who was a late call-up at Royal Melbourne last year, where he was T-48.

Quinnton Croker (Qld)
Age: 22
Club: Royal Queensland GC
Highlights: adidas Australian Amateur 2023, Mandurah Open 2022, Future Tour Order of Merit 2023, runner-up Heritage Classic (Challenger PGA Tour Australasia) 2023
Bio: Highly-credentialed player who has won the national amateur championship and competed strongly on the pro circuit with four top-10s on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia. Another who is likely to turn pro soon.

Phoenix Campbell (Vic)
Age: 23
Club: Yarra Yarra GC
Highlights: Master of the Amateurs 2024, Queensland PGA Championship 2023, Riversdale Cup 2023
Bio: Prolific amateur winner who produced a stunning win in the Queensland PGA on the Challenge PGA Tour of Australasia last year.

Tony Chen (Vic)
Age: 22
Highlights: Cal Poly Invitational 2023
Bio: Moved to Australia from China aged eight. Has spent three years on the golf team at the University of California.

Jasper Stubbs (Vic)
Age: 22
Club: Peninsula Kingswood CGC
Highlights: 2023 Asia Pacific Amateur, 2022 NZ Amateur, played US Masters and Open Championship 2024.
Bio: Has had an amazing 2024 including starts at the Masters and Open Championship on the back of winning the AAC last year. Soon to turn pro.

Billy Dowling (Qld)
Age: 19
Club: Brisbane GC
Highlights: Queensland Amateur 2023, Keperra Bowl 2023, Gary Player Classic 2023, Queensland Boys’ Amateur 2021
Bio: Was in contention in the AAC last year before falling to 10th on the final day. Prolific winner all around the country as a junior and at open age, and once shot 59 at Surfers Paradise GC.

Lukas Michel (Vic)
Age: 30
Club: Metropolitan GC
Highlights: Portsea Open Amateur 2023, US Mid-Amateur 2021, Master of the Amateurs 2019, played US Masters and Open Championship in 2020
Bio: Young veteran of the amateur scene who is favouriting a career in course design rather than as a touring pro. One of three of the Australians who played at Royal Melbourne last year.

TEAM COACH: Matt Ballard