Australian Harry Takis shares lead at Asia Pacific Am
Harry Takis during his second round of 66 – image APAC
A late surge in his afternoon on day two of the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship, has given San Diego State-based Queenslander, Harry Takis, a share of the lead at the halfway mark of the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship at the Emirates Golf Club in Dubai.
Beginning the day one off the lead, Takis took a while for his round to build, but once he made the turn at 1 under for the day, he would reel off five birdies on his closing nine to finish with a round of 66 to join Japan’s Rintaro Nakano and Vietnam’s Khanh Hung Le at 11 under and in the lead by one.
“Yeah it was good,” said Takis. “I stayed patient front nine and rattled off a few in a row there on the back, which was nice. Unfortunate to miss that putt on the last.
“I said to my caddie when we made the turn. We were only 1‑under, and I was like, I think we can rattle off a few if he can with stay calm and stay in the present. You have to be patient on the front side, hit it to 15, 20 feet all day, hole a few, and then back nine you can really tear it up if you get hot.”
“There’s no better group to play in than the last one,” added Takis, referring to the opportunity to play with his fellow leaders tomorrow. “I can’t be disappointed with that. It’s what we play for, massive opportunity, great city, great part of the world. It’s golf. So I’m always going to try and enjoy it out there. I think that’s when I play my best.”
Takis, now nearing his second year at San Diego State University in California, is coached by highly regarded Brisbane coach Ian Triggs and in his opening year at San Diego State he has performed with distinction, twice finishing runner-up in Mountain West Conference events, and earlier this year he also won the Singapore Amateur Championship.
The next best of the Australasians is New Zealander Cooper Moore, the New Zealand Amateur and Australian Junior Champion, adding a round of 68 to his opening 69 to be at 7 under and four off the lead.
Moore made a big move early with 5 birdies in his first 13 holes, but the momentum slowed over the closing holes to finish with his round of 68. Still, he is nicely placed to perhaps better his 8th-place finish as the leading Australasian in this event last year.
“Yeah, everything fell into place and everything worked out,” said Moore. “I stayed pretty patient all day. I found myself 5‑under through 13 and in good position and sort of just stayed there for a little bit. Hit a poor swing on 15, the par 3, 6‑iron in and sort of just pulled short left. So, every shot in from there was a bit of a struggle.
“I made a good par on 18 after hitting into the water. Poor course management down there, but that’s all right. We got away with a par and the ball was in the hole in the end. That was nice.”
Queenslander Billy Dowling who was one of three leaders overnight, could only manage a round of 72 on day two and is now in a share of 7th place at 6 under and five from the lead.
