With Masters and Open on their mind, Rakshit and Anshul lead Indians at Asia-Pacific Amateurs in Dubai

Rakshit Dahiya and Anshul Mishra.

Khel Today Bureau

New Delhi: The reigning All India amateur champion Anshul Mishra and the highly promising Rakshit Dahiya, who have caught the eye in recent months, will be among the prominent names representing India at the 16th Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in Dubai. The event will be held at the world-class Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis Course from October 23-26.

As per the current entry list India will also have Raghav Gulati and Ranveer Mitroo alongside Dahiya and Mishra. All four have had considerable experience of international events, with Raghav Gulati in particular having played a lot in Dubai, where he spends most of his time.

The AAC has the most attractive prizes in amateur golf with the champion receiving an invitation to the 2026 Masters Tournament and an exemption into The 154th Open in 2026, while the runner(s)-up receive an exemption into The Open Qualifying Series and the top-three finishers receive an exemption into The 131st Amateur Championship.

Of the four Indians currently on the list, only Dahiya has played the AAC before. He played at the 2024 edition in Japan. He made the cut and finished Tied-37th with a consistent showing.

Dahiya has had a very good year winning the Delhi Golf Club Juniors, Delhi NCR Cup and Samarvir Sahi amateurs, all prominent Indian amateur events. However, his standout recent performance came in a Pro event on the Professional Golfers Tour of India, where he registered a very creditable Top-10 finish at Coal India Open against some of India’s top pros.

Mishra, winner of the storied and 132-year old All India Amateurs in 2024, has had varied experience over the last few months. Second at the FCG Callaway event in US, he also had Top-10s in Dubai and Singapore. The young star also played at a series of junior events in the US including the prestigious Boys Junior PGA, US Junior amateurs, FCG Callaway and Uswing Mowing Junior World.

Gulati had wins in two events in Dubai, so he will be in a familiar environment. He won the FJT Middle East and the Tommy Fleetwood Pathway International Pathway event presented by DP World.

Mitroo, too, is not short on experience having had Top-10s in Asia-Pacific Juniors in Hong Kong and then in Singapore besides a Top-10 in an American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) event in the US.

Around 120 players will tee off at the event, which was established in 2009 by the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC), The R&A and the Masters Tournament to further develop amateur golf in the Asia-Pacific region.

Players from 41 APGC member organizations have accepted invitations with 117 players confirmed thus far for the 120-player field.

The top stars expected this year include Harry Takis of Australia, the 2024 runner-up Ziqin Zhou of China, Kent Hsiao of Chinese Taipei, Jeffrey Shen of Hong Kong, China, Rayhan Latief of Indonesia, Taisei Nagasaki, Taishi Moto and Rintaro Nakano of Japan, and Fifa Laopakdee, Ratchanon “TK” Chantananuwat and Chanachon Chokprajakchat of Thailand.

Players from four countries have claimed titles at the AAC title, including China with five victories, Australia and Japan with four each and Korea with two.

No Indian has won the prestigious title though Rayhan Thomas, now a professional, was runner-up in 2018 in Sentosa, Singapore.

Notable past competitors include 2021 Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama, a two-time winner of the Asia-Pacific Amateur, and 2022 Open champion Cameron Smith.