South Australian amateur golfer Anthony Murdaca has won his way into the US Masters at Augusta National in April.
Murdaca, 19, who plays out of South Australia’s Grange Golf Club, carded a final round 71 to finish with a 13 under tournament total of 275 to win the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship at Royal Melbourne by seven shots.
His first three rounds were 69, 68 and 67 and he had an eight-shot buffer going into Sunday’s final round.
It was the biggest winning margin in the six-year history of the tournament which brings together the leading amateurs in the region.
As the championship winner, Murdaca gains automatic entry into the 2015 Masters Tournament and final qualifying for the Open Championship at St Andrews.
Japan’s Mikumu Horikawa was second after a final round 69 and crept within five shots of the lead after Murdaca stumbled with bogeys at the seventh and ninth holes.
Australians Todd Sinnott (five under) and Ryan Ruffels (three under) were the next best. Ruffels, 16, closed with a 68 on Sunday.
Murdaca said he did not start to think about Augusta until he hit his second shot on the 18th.
“I started to get goose bumps then,” he said.
“But until then I just stayed in the moment and concentrated on hitting good shots.”
His coach of five years, Gareth Jones, caddied for him this week and played a key part in the win. “He keeps me relaxed. If I hit a bad shot we do not talk about it,” Murdaca said.
He is almost certain to take Jones with him as his caddie at Augusta.
Shortly after Murdaca lifted the trophy, Augusta chairman, Billy Payne, congratulated him and invited him to practise at the famous Augusta course in January.
“This is a childhood dream come true for me,” Murdaca said.
“I have always wanted to play at Augusta as an amateur.”
“I have been working really hard for a win this year and I have certainly won the right one,” the dual Australian junior champion added.
The son of Italian parents, Dominic and Antonia, he was born in Australia and then went back to Italy, returning to Australia as a toddler.
His father first put a (plastic) golf club in his hand when he was little more than two years of age.
