MUSCAT - Azzan Al Rumhy and Ahmed Al Wahaibi will represent Oman at the esteemed Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, which will take place at the iconic Majlis Course of Emirates Golf Club in Dubai, UAE, from October 23 to 26, 2025.
Established in 2009, the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship was created by the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC), The R&A, and the Masters Tournament to promote the growth of amateur golf within the Asia-Pacific region.
The champion will earn an invitation to the 2026 Masters Tournament and will be exempt from qualifying for The 154th Open; the runners-up will gain an exemption into The Open Qualifying Series, while the top three finishers will receive an exemption into The 131st Amateur Championship.
Al Rumhy will be participating in his 11th Championship, whereas Al Wahaibi will be competing for the third time, four years after his debut at the 2021 edition held at Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club.
In addition to this duo, players from 41 other APGC member organizations have accepted invitations, with 116 players confirmed so far for the 120-player field. Notable participants include Harry Takis from Australia, 2024 runner-up Ziqin Zhou from China, Kent Hsiao from Chinese Taipei, Jeffrey Shen from Hong Kong, China, Rayhan Latief from Indonesia, Taisei Nagasaki, Taishi Moto, and Rintaro Nakano from Japan, as well as Fifa Laopakdee, Ratchanon “TK” Chantananuwat, and Chanachon Chokprajakchat from Thailand. Four countries have produced champions at the Asia-Pacific Amateur, with China leading with five victories, followed by Australia and Japan with four each, and the Republic of Korea with two.
Other representatives from the Middle East in this field include Mousa Shana'ah, Mohammad Alrawashdeh, Salem Alabdallat, and Hashem Shana'ah from Jordan, Ali Alsakha and Khalid Saud AlFaisal from Saudi Arabia, Saleh Ali Alkaabi and Ali Abdulla Al Shahrani from Qatar, as well as Ahmad Skaik, Sam Mullane, Jonathan Selvaraj, Abdulla Kalbat, and Rayan Ahmed from the UAE.
"It is a proud moment for us to witness such an outstanding group of amateur golfers gathering at Emirates Golf Club," stated General Abdullah Al Hashmi, Vice Chairman of the EGF.
"The Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship consistently highlights the finest emerging talent from our region, and this year is no different. For the United Arab Emirates, having five of our players competing on home turf adds to the significance of the event.
"This presents an opportunity for them to challenge themselves against the top amateurs in the Asia-Pacific, to motivate the next generation of Emirati golfers, and to showcase the advancements our nation has achieved in the sport. We eagerly anticipate welcoming every participant to Dubai for what is expected to be a remarkable week of golf.
Prominent former competitors include Hideki Matsuyama, the 2021 Masters champion and a two-time Asia-Pacific Amateur winner, along with Cameron Smith, the 2022 Open champion. Throughout its 15-year history, the Championship has acted as a launching pad for some of the globe's elite players, such as Matsuyama, 2018 champion Takumi Kanaya, and 2021 champion Keita Nakajima from Japan, as well as Cameron Smith, Cameron Davis, and Min Woo Lee from Australia, Ryan Fox from New Zealand, Si Woo Kim from the Republic of Korea, and C.T. Pan from Chinese Taipei. In total, alumni of the Asia-Pacific Amateur have achieved 33 victories on the PGA Tour and over 140 wins across major professional tours.
The Majlis Course at Emirates Golf Club, designed by Karl Litten and inaugurated in 1988 as the first grass course in the Middle East, is situated south of downtown Dubai and offers stunning views of the city skyline. Annually, the Majlis Course hosts the DP World Tour’s Dubai Desert Classic, a tournament previously won by legends such as Seve Ballesteros, Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, and Ernie Els, who holds the course record of 61. In 2020, Lucas Herbert from Australia became the first alumnus to win the Dubai Desert Classic, five years after his last participation in the Asia-Pacific Amateur. Emirates Golf Club is set to host the Asia-Pacific Amateur for the first time.
