China’s Lin Yuxin Finishes Birdie-Eagle In Asia-Pacific Amateur, Earns Spots At Augusta And Carnoustie

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China’s lefthanded 17-year-old Lin Yuxin captured the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship to secure invitations to the 2018 Masters and he 2018 Open at Carnoustie.

He birdied Royal Wellington's 17th and eagled the par-5 18th to card a six-under-par 65 and finish 14-under, three ahead of compatriot Andy Zhang. Lin becomes the third Chinese players to qualify through the Asia-Pacific Amateur.

“I’m very, very happy I got the chance to win this event and play two majors,” said Lin, who trailed Zhang for much of the round. “I’m very proud of myself. It means a lot to me to play in the Masters and The Open next year. It’s a great experience.”

 “Andy played really solid today,” Lin said. “He didn’t make a single mistake until 15. His iron shots were really good and he made a lot of putts. I actually thought it might not be my day, but I had a good finish.

“I was just trying to stay aggressive and hit as many drivers as I could. Even though I wasn’t playing that well for 12 holes, I still stuck with that plan. Andy is a very steady player, but I had to stay aggressive and get birdies.”

The winning putt:

Reminder: Asia Pacific Amateur At Royal Wellington

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The Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, hosted by the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation, Masters Tournament and the R&A, kicks off Thursday at New Zealand's Royal Wellington. An invitation to The Masters is on the line.

Michael Jones with a preview for Golf Australia.

Telecast times:

ESPN2 Coverage – All Times Eastern U.S.
Thursday, Oct. 26 (First Round)            1-4 a.m.
Friday, Oct. 27 (Second Round)            1-4 a.m.
Saturday, Oct. 28 (Third Round)            1-4 a.m.
Sunday, Oct. 29 (Final Round)               3:30 – 6:30 a.m.
Sunday, Oct. 29 (Highlights)                 4-4:30 p.m.

Greg Turner and Scott MacPherson have remodeled the course in 2014 into the one we'll see this week.

A nice preview video that should whet your appetite for Royal Wellington:

Firefighting Mid-Am Champ's Masters Dream: A Practice Round With Tiger Woods

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Not that Tiger ever sets goals for injury return on such things, but the older, maybe more sentimental and "making progress" Woods might just relish the chance to fulfill the dream of U.S. Mid-Amateur Champion Matt Parziale. After all, it would mean Woods was even well enough to play The Masters.

From Doug Ferguson's story on the Massachusetts firefighter who won the U.S. Mid-Amateur last week, earning him berths into the Masters and U.S. Open:

Parziale was 9 when he watched the Masters for the first time and saw Woods break 20 records on his way to a 12-shot victory. He was 16 when Woods won a World Golf Championship at Capital City Club, the very place where Parziale realized so many of his golf dreams.

So when asked if he could play a practice round at the Masters with one person, Parziale didn’t hesitate.

“Tiger, and there’s not even a close second,” he said. “I play golf because of Tiger Woods. I was the perfect age to see him.”

Ridley: "We will take whatever action, whatever course of action is necessary to protect the integrity of Augusta National.”

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Brentley Romine reports on a media call with new Masters chairman Fred Ridley was asked about the golf course in the face of most distance gains since the last round of changes.

After saying something vague about the Jones design philsophy ("strategy and skill were equal components in how the golf course should be played"), he issued this strong statement:

“We will take whatever action, whatever course of action is necessary to protect the integrity of Augusta National golf course,” Ridley said.

Now that could mean many things. Given that the club has planted trees, introduced longer fairway cuts pushed toward tees and added numerous back tees, more lengthening is about all the club can turn to without further damaging the Jones approach.

Jones and MacKenzie's very clearly stated design goals for Augusta National are already hanging by a thread, and with a consulting architect who doesn't practice strategic design or even the art of respecting those who practiced the art before him, it appears there is only one course of action that will work: restricting driving distance.

Restoring width and removing recently planted trees, as Michael Bamberger wrote in this suggestion list piece, would also be nice but they won't addres the simple fact that the strategy has been rendered less interesting by modern driving distances.

Chairman Ridley On Distance: “We’re interested in that issue"

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While not kicking the door wide open or sharing his views, it sounds like new Augusta National Chairman Fred Ridley isn't quite shying away from the issue either.

From Doug Ferguson's AP interview with Ridley discussing several topics related to The Masters.

He also was reserved about how the club felt about the distance the modern professional is hitting the golf ball, referring only to a good relationship with golf’s two governing bodies, the USGA and the Royal & Ancient.

“We’re interested in that issue,” he said. “It’s not my place to talk about what’s good and not good for the game. I might have opinions, but I’m not the person to talk about it. What I can talk about is what’s good for Augusta National and our golf course. Going back to the guiding principles, again, I believe that the philosophies that Jones and (Alister) MacKenzie established here are timeless.”

His predecessor, now-Chairman Emeritus Billy Payne, never seemed entirely comfortable talking about the impact on the course. It seems reasonable to surmise, however, that no one at Augusta National is pleased to have fairways mown toward tees and to be spending more money on possible back tees locations. But what will they do?

I also thought this was of note (and admirable) related to the 2004 U.S. Open at Shinnecock...

He was not directly in charge of the golf course, but “I was the president, so the buck stops there.”

Welcome Statement From New Masters Chairman Ridley

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A new era in Augusta begins today as Fred Ridley becomes seventh chairman of Augusta National Golf Club and The Masters: