Having watched his good pal Harrison Crowe book a start in the Masters and British Open last year, Jack Buchanan fancies his chances of back-to-back Australian victories in the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship.
South Australian Buchanan is one of 10 Australian golfers among a 120-strong field from 41 countries lining up at Royal Melbourne Golf Club, with play getting under way on Thursday.
Sydneysider Crowe won the event in Thailand last year, with his trophy haul including invitations to compete in the 2023 Masters at Augusta National and the 151st Open at Royal Liverpool.
Created in 2009, the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship was established to further develop amateur golf in the region, with 2021 Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama a two-time winner of the event.
Crowe, Curtis Luck (2016) and Antonio Murdaca, who won at Royal Melbourne in 2014, are past Australian victors, with Buchanan looking to add his name to the list.
Buchanan has played plenty of golf with fellow 21-year-old Crowe and felt he could go toe-to-toe with the newly minted pro.
"Watching Harrison Crowe win last year, one of my best mates, just shows you ... he's not too far from home for me, so watching him win makes it (winning) more of a reality," Buchanan said.
"It makes me believe that I can win it a bit more.
"I've played a lot of tournaments with Harrison and in international teams, so I know that my game can match up to his when we're both on."
Buchanan is fresh off the plane from Abu Dhabi, where he was "on" in the final round of last week's World Amateur Team Championship, helping Australia clinch a silver medal behind the United States.
He birdied four of his final five holes en route to a final-round 68 to lift his team, which included Jeffrey Guan who will also compete at Royal Melbourne, into a tie for second place with Norway.
"I didn't play my best the first two rounds, but I had a good finish to help us get a medal, so that gives me a bit of confidence going into this week," Buchanan said.
Internationals to watch in the field include 2022 runner-up Bo Jin (currently No.162 in the world amateur golf rankings) and his Chinese compatriot Wenyi Ding (No.22), Japan’s Yuta Sugiura (No.15) and 30th-ranked Kiwi Kazuma Kobori.
Guan is the top-ranked Australian at No.55, with Buchanan next at No.117.
Australians in action: Jeffrey Guan (NSW), Jack Buchanan (SA), Lukas Michel (Vic), Connor Fewkes (WA), Quinn Croker (Qld), Max Charles (Vic), Harry Bolton (ACT), Jye Pickin (NSW), Jasper Stubbs (Vic), Harry Takis (Qld).
