Madappa bids for a Masters berth at Asia-Pacific Amateur golf

Viraj Madappa will hope to become the first amateur Indian golfer to tee up at the Masters when he starts play at next week's high-profile Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC).
Being held at the world-famous Clearwater Bay Golf and Country Club, Hong Kong for the first time, the winner of the AAC will not only get the title but also an invitation to the 2016 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
Madappa, 17, has shown excellent form of late, including a notable win at the Taiwan Amateur Golf Championship. In July, he became the first amateur from India to play at the Porter Cup in the United States.

Besides, the winner getting to Masters, the runner-up will get a shot at the British Open as he gets entry into The Open Qualifying Series for The Open at Royal Troon.
Optimism about Madappa's chances have risen with him being the fourth highest world ranked player in the field and the second highest from Asia at No. 52. Since the field at AAC includes players from both Asia and Oceania, there are three ahead of Madappa in world ranking.
Ahead of Madappa are Australian Ryan Ruffels, the region's No. 1 ranked player at No. 8; China's Cheng Jin (No. 29) and last year's winner, Australia's Antonio Murdaca (No. 50).

While Murdaca won the AAC last year, Ruffels, just 17 years old, finished three places behind him.

This year's field includes two past champions, Murdaca and Guan Tianlang, the 2012 winner, who also became the youngest player ever to make the cut at 2013 Masters.
Since the AAC was inaugurated in 2009, one of its most notable winners was two-time champion Hideki Matsuyama of Japan, who has recorded top-20 finishes across all four majors since turning professional in 2013.
The AAC, which will feature a 120-player field, is a four-round 72-hole stroke play event with a cut for the leading 60 players plus ties after 36 holes. It begins on November 1 and ends on November 4.

Organised by the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation, Masters Tournament and The R&A, the champion receives an invitation to the Masters and, along with the runner-up, gains entry to The Open Qualifying Series for The Open at Royal Troon.